'The Crown' season five: release date, cast and everything we know so far

The popularity of The Crown on Netflix seems to grow with each season, and so, too, does its list of accolades.

Season four, the show's latest instalment, depicted the story of Prince Charles meeting and marrying Diana Spencer, with the season ending with their marriage in limbo. The season attracted a new legion of fans, thanks to its depiction of events that many people will remember well.

Initially, the show's creator, Peter Morgan, had said that season five would be the show's last, however, due to its continued popularity, he has now confirmed the show will continue for a sixth season.

"As we started to discuss the storylines for series five, it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons," Morgan told entertainment news website Deadline. "To be clear, series six will not bring us any closer to present-day – it will simply enable us to cover the same period in greater detail."

So, it looks like the series is not planning to reach the events of the modern-day royal family, meaning there will be no depiction of Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry or Meghan Markle in season six.

What do we know about season five of ‘The Crown’ so far?

The Crown left season four at the point of Prince Charles and Princess Diana making their case for divorce to Queen Elizabeth II in 1990. The pair officially divorced two years later, in 1992, the same year Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson split, as well as Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, so it is likely to be the point that season five picks up at.

Each series of The Crown has more or less covered a decade, and while the timeframe for the next instalment is yet to be confirmed, it is likely to follow the same pattern, which will see it include the death of Princess Diana in 1997.

Who will star in season five of ‘The Crown’?

Just as Claire Foy and Matt Smith (season one and two) were replaced by Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies (season three and four) as the queen and Prince Philip, season five and six will bring about a new batch of actors to portray the royal family in their later stages.

Colman will be replaced by Imelda Staunton to play Queen Elizabeth II. The Harry Potter actress said she was "genuinely honoured to be joining such an exceptional creative team and to be taking The Crown to its conclusion."

Lesley Manville will play Princess Margaret, taking over for Helena Bonham Carter, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of the queen's younger sister. Speaking of landing the role, Manville 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. Furthermore, to play siblings with my dear friend Imelda Staunton will be nothing short of a complete joy."

Welsh actor Jonathan Pryce will take over the role of Prince Philip from Menzies, depicting the Duke of Edinburgh for the final two seasons.

Dominic West will reportedly step into the role of Prince Charles, following on from Josh O'Connor's award-winning turn as the Prince of Wales. Emma Corrin is confirmed to return for part of season five as Princess Diana, before the role is taken over by Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki.

"Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many," Debicki said of her casting. "It is my true privilege and honour to be joining this masterful series, which had me absolutely hooked from episode one."

When will season five of ‘The Crown’ be released?

Filming for season five of The Crown is set to begin this July, following delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show's production will take place in London, however, fans will have to wait until 2022 for the new series to hit Netflix.