It’s all change for Netflix’s popular drama The Crown as the fifth series looks to focus on one of the most turbulent times for the Royal Family; the 1990s. Announced during Netflix’s annual TUDUM event, the cast is set to be completely replaced as the Royal Family enter a new decade - and face changing attitudes from the public. After the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Netflix series has seen a renewed interest from viewers, which charts the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, previously portrayed by Academy Award winner Olivia Coleman. Creator Peter Morgan is no stranger to the difficult period Queen Elizabeth experienced during the 90s. He not only wrote the 2006 film The Queen, starring Dame Helen Mirren which dealt with the fallout of Princess Diana’s death, but also the stage play The Audience in 2013 which is based on the weekly meetings the Queen had with Prime Ministers throughout her reign. With a cast list announced including the role of Prime Minister John Major, who led the country from November 1990 to May 1997, and Olvia Coleman’s role now recast, it seems almost a certainty that the new series of The Crown will be set in the 90s. That period of time for The Royal Family was a turbulent one for Queen Elizabeth II - which she perhaps would have considered a series of annus horribilis. Throughout the 90s, the Royal Family had to deal with the disintegration of the marriage between the now King Charles III and Princess Diana. That included a bombshell interview with the Princess of Wales, conducted by Martin Bashir, and the series of phone messages between King Charles III and his future Queen Consort, Camilla Parker Bowles. The Crown season 5 looks to also show how the public’s perception of the royal family changed, as they struggle to modernise the monarchy in light of these events. An entirely new cast will be involved in season 5 of the hit show, with Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Dominic West as Prince Charles and Elizabeth Debicki portraying Princess Diana. Lesley Manville joins as the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, and Jonny Lee Miller stars as Prime Minister John Major. The fifth season of The Crown has a confirmed release date of November 9. Netflix can be subscribed to on three different tiers: Netflix is advert free and can be cancelled at any time. For more information or to sign up, visit the Netflix sign-up page. This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
