Netflix has announced a release window for the sixth season of the historical drama series, The Crown, which is focused on the British monarchy. The monarchy in itself has undergone quite a bit of change in the past year with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of her son and heir, King Charles III. The show will also be seeking to move forward into modern times and focus more on the younger members of the royal family as they begin to build their lives.
The Crown is slated for a fall 2023 release, according to Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria at Netflix’s virtual Upfront presentation Wednesday (via The Wrap). The series, considered one of the streamer’s most prestigious shows, will turn its attention for this sixth installment towards a royal love story with younger participants. Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy are set to play Prince William and Kate Middleton respectively, and the pair will depict their real life characters’ first moments meeting at St. Andrew’s campus, an ensuing romance that ultimately led to tying the knot in 2011. This will be the closest which the show has come to covering modern events within the monarchy.
In April, Netflix had released first images of the pair playing the royal couple as the show begins to pivot as hinted by an official description for the upcoming season. “As the pair meet for the first time on campus, a new romance and a new future for The Crown begins,” an official synopsis reads. The Peter Morgan historical drama, which is set to end after this season, will also cover Princess Diana’s death, though the accident in itself will not be depicted on the show. Elizabeth Debicki, will portray the part of Princess Diana after taking over from Emma Corrin (who held the role in Season 4).
Royal Criticism
As it approached and covered more and more recent events surrounding the royal family, the show has been faced with a host of criticism. Ahead of the release of the show’s fifth season, Netflix were moved to add a disclaimer that read, “inspired by real events, this fictional dramatisation tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign”. The show even saw individuals who had starred in it, like Helana Bonham Carter who played Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon in the third and fourth seasons, call into question the show’s future as it approached modern times. “I should be careful here too, but I don’t think they should carry on, actually. I’m in it and I loved my episodes, but it’s very different now,” she said. Others like Jonathan Pryce, who portrayed Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh had in the past expressed “disappointment” at the level of criticism the show was facing.
The Crown season 6 will premiere in autumn 2023, and previous seasons are available to stream on Netflix. Watch a trailer for the fifth season below:
via Collider