The wait is almost over. The Crown returns to Netflix next week for its fifth season, and we are so excited to tune into the new episodes.
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Although the drama has prompted criticism from some high-profile names, the show is certainly going to be one of the most talked about shows this year, not only for the plot, but for the star-studded cast.
WATCH: The official trailer for The Crown season five
As with previous seasons of the drama, a brand new array of actors are joining to portray the likes of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Princess Diana. Ahead of season five, which returns on 9 November, meet the full cast below…
Imelda Staunton as The Queen
Imelda, known for her roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, will be playing the third incarnation of Queen Elizabeth II, and opened up about the challenges of playing a version of the Queen that is closer to the age that the public knew her.
Chatting on BBC Radio Four Woman's Hour, she said: "I think my sort of extra challenge, as if I needed it, is that I'm now doing the Queen that we're a little more familiar with. With Claire Foy, it was almost history and now I'm playing one that people could say 'she doesn’t do that,' 'she’s not like that,' and that's my personal bête noire."
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Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip
Oscar-nominated star Jonathan Pryce will be playing the Duke of Edinburgh in the fifth and sixth series. "I am delighted to be working with Netflix again," he said in a statement posted to The Crown's Instagram page in August 2020.
"The positive experience I had making The Two Popes has given me the confidence to tackle the daunting prospect of portraying Prince Philip," the actor continued. "To be doing so with Peter Morgan in the company of Imelda and Lesley will be a joy."
Dominic West as Prince Charles
Dominic West was confirmed as playing Prince Charles in The Crown back in 2021. The first official photo showed the star channelling Charles in a brown suit with a striped tie and yellow pocket square while standing outside an unknown estate home. Dominic is perhaps best-known for his previous roles in big shows such as The Affair and The Wire.
Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana
Elizabeth, who is best known for her roles in The Night Manager and Tenet, will be taking over from Emma Corrin as an older version of Diana. Speaking about the role, she said: "Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many.
"It is my true privilege and honour to be joining this masterful series which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one." Elizabeth is currently already filming scenes for the sixth and final season
Claudia Harrison as Princess Anne
Princess Anne will be portrayed by actress Claudia Harrison. After photos from on-set began circulating online in early 2022, many eagle-eyed fans noticed that Humans and The IT Crowd star Claudia Harrison could be seen filming at Scotland's Covesea Lighthouse, dressed in a costume similar to Princess Anne's classic attire. More recently, Netflix's official photographer confirmed that Claudia will be playing the Queen's daughter.
Theo Fraser Steele as Timothy Laurence
Theo Fraser Steele, known for his stints in The Thick of It and Golden Compass, is playing the role of Timothy Laurence. Timothy is Anne's second husband and the pair married in 1992.
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Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret
Lesley, who has previously starred in Phantom Thread and Maleficent, has taken over from Helena Bonham Carter to play the Queen's sister in the fifth series of the show. She said: "I could not be happier to be playing Princess Margaret. The baton is being passed on from two formidable actresses and I really don't want to let the side down."
Jonny Lee Miller as John Major
Jonny Lee Miller is portraying Prime Minister John Major. The actor is perhaps best-known for his roles in shows like Elementary but he has appeared in many films, too, including Trainspotting, Hackers and The Flying Scotsman.
Timothy Dalton as Peter Townsend
James Bond meets The Crown! Former 007 actor Timothy Dalton has joined the cast of season five as Group Captain Peter Townsend, the former love of Princess Margaret. Fans will know Timothy for other roles in addition to Bond, including The Rocketeer, Penny Dreadful, Hot Fuzz and more.
Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed
Dodi Fayed was an Egyptian film producer, the son of billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed and the boyfriend of the late Princess Diana. He was tragically killed in the same car accident that took Diana's life. In The Crown, he'll be played by Khalid Abdalla, who has appeared in United 93 and The Kite Runner.
Natasha McElhone as Penelope Knatchbull
Penelope Knatchbull, also known as Countess Mountbatten of Burma, was a long-time confidante of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and will be portrayed by Natasha McElhone. TV and film fans will certainly recognise Natasha thanks to her expansive career on the screen. Her previous credits include The Truman Show, Californication, Designated Survivor, and The First.
Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles
Series five will continue exploring the relationship between Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles. Starring opposite Dominic's Charles as Camilla is Olivia Williams. Olivia has appeared in Emma, The Father and An Education.
Prasanna Puwanarajah as Martin Bashir
Controversial BBC journalist Martin Bashir is being portrayed in season five of the show in a storyline exploring his infamous Panorama interview with Princess Diana. The actor playing the since disgraced interviewer is Prasanna Puwanarajah, who has appeared in Ten Percent, Killing Eve and Line of Duty.
Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Monique Ritz
If you love fellow Netflix drama Emily in Paris, then the name Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu will be familiar. Philippine, who plays Savoir boss Sylvie Grateau in the Lily Collins-fronted show, has joined the cast of The Crown for season five.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the French actress revealed she would be portraying Monique Ritz, the widow of The Ritz's hotel's former owner. The star said she was "so, so happy" to be cast.
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