The beloved series about the British monarchy is back and we’re elated to finally see new characters.
Netflix released official photos of the acclaimed series, and fans were thrilled to get a glimpse of the royal stories set to unfold this November 15. When season 4 of The Crown was first announced, many anticipated the appearance of iconic women: Lady Diana Spencer, the Princess of Wales; and the ‘Iron Lady,’ former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. While we have yet to see a full trailer, we can expect Season 4 to continue shedding light on the private struggles of the British royal family. From facing the challenges of marriage, dealing with a traumatic childhood, and living a life within the public eye, here’s everything we know about this season so far.
Who are we seeing?
The two major additions of this season are rising actress Emma Corrin as Princess Diana and Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher. Anderson plays a role that won Meryl Streep an Academy Award for the Iron Lady. This may seem daunting, but with Anderson’s longtime experience, she has proven her acting prowess. Certainly, she would bring the spirit of the fierce stateswoman back to life through her magnificent portrayal.
Apart from Anderson, many are anticipating the performance of upcoming actress Emma Corrin. Her acting credits include PBS murder mystery Grantchester and the EPIX comic book’s prequel series Pennyworth. Although the young actress is fresh out of drama school, The Crown’s creator praises Corrin for her exceptional talent and range. From her Instagram post, she shares her excitement for this role, having thoroughly studied Princess Diana and followed the royal series since day one.
Returning actors in the show are Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II, Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret, and Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip. Other young constants are Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles, Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, and Emerald Fennell as Princess Camilla.
Where were we?
The third season left us with the scene of the gilded carriage of Queen Elizabeth II as she strolls through the streets of London. The time was June 1977, a few months before the first encounter of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles. This season, we will witness their relationship and the challenges that came with it. This entails the drama involving Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles following their families’ manipulation. Of course, we will also see the grand wedding and the highly publicized extramarital affairs. The former couple’s public visits were also recreated such as the 1983 tour in Australia where Princess Diana wore the famous head-to-toe pink from Donald Campbell and the 1989 Barnardo’s Champion Awards where she was clad in a floral, one-shoulder dress, one of the favorite silhouettes of the style icon.
The fourth season will also depict the relationship between the queen and Thatcher. They may be similar in many ways yet this very likeness repelled each other, driving them apart. The show will also unveil the details of the 1989 Buckingham Palace break-in, involving Michael Fagan who sneaked inside the queen’s bedroom. Although Her Majesty wasn’t harmed, it undoubtedly became among the most historic security breaches of the 20th century.
Since the fourth season will cover events from the 1970s to the 1990s when Thatcher was ousted from office, we will most likely see Prince William and Harry, but as infants. Nevertheless, all these historic events make for a highly-anticipated new season.
What’s next?
The Crown will debut on Netflix this November 15 and fans must savor this season. With the impact of the pandemic, the show’s creators claim they will be taking a break from filming. Most likely, we won’t see another season until 2022. Peter Morgan initially announced the fifth season will be the last but had a change of heart amid the pandemic. He now claims to extend to six seasons, the original plan. This allows for a more sweeping drama to explore, covering the complexity and detail within the lives of the British monarchy—and we all couldn’t wait.
