The series' final season will premiere in two parts: Part 1 on Nov. 16 and Part 2 on Dec. 14.
The final season of The Crown approaches, which means the drama, intrigue, and scandals will start hitting closer to home as the show progresses into more modern times and much more recent memory. The Peter Morgan-created royal drama following the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II will debut its final batch of episodes in a two-parter, with part 1 of season 6 airing on Thursday, Nov. 16, and the second portion being released on Dec. 14.
On Monday, Netflix dropped the first official photos for season 6, which marks the final chapter in the royal drama since it began in 2016. The final season will follow events in the royal family from 1997 to 2005.
The images give fans the first look at how Part 1 will focus on the "relationship blossoming between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed before a fateful car journey has devastating consequences."
In 1997, Princess Diana died in a tragic car accident in Paris, France, while being chased by paparazzi. She was 36.
Elizabeth Debicki is reprising her role as Diana to document the final moments of the late Princess of Wales' life. Khalid Abdalla is back at Dodi Fayed, Diana's boyfriend who died in the crash as well, and Salim Daw will return to play his father, Mohamed Al Fayed.
"I think it's a really unique challenge as an actor, to portray those days," Debicki told TUDUM about her starring role back in April. "I really just trusted in Peter's emotional blueprint that he created for us to follow. It's his interpretation and I think it made emotional sense to me, so I clung to that. Because, obviously, it's devastating, and it's fraught and we can never know."
The season will also feature the wedding of then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, who tied the knot in a smaller service in April 2005. Both had been previously married, and thus Queen Elizabeth II was not in attendance at the event. As the queen, she also served as the head of the Church of England, which takes an official stance discouraging divorce.
Part 2 of season 6 consists of six episodes, and the synopsis includes, "Prince William tries to integrate back into life at Eton in the wake of his mother’s death as the monarchy has to ride the wave of public opinion. As she reaches her Golden Jubilee, the Queen reflects on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new royal fairytale in William and Kate."
As Netflix previously teased, the final batch of episodes will chronicle the Prince and Princess of Wales' relationship, beginning with their first meeting at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 2001. According to the streamer, Prince William starts at St. Andrews, determined to lead as normal a life as possible while he still can. At the same time, Kate Middleton enrolls in the university. When they meet for the first time on campus, a new romance and a new future for The Crown begins.
Dominic West is back as Prince Charles, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret. Newcomers Rufus Kampa and Fflyn Edwards will make their debuts as Prince William and Prince Harry, respectively. Then in part 2, they will be replaced by Ed McVey and Luther Ford. Meg Bellamy is also coming on to play William's future wife, Kate Middleton.
West previously told TUDUM that there was an ease and an understanding to taking on the role of Prince Charles for a second season. "I think he's got real sadness to him and real compassion and what's great about The Crown is that you see these public figures in private. I suspect in private he's quite emotional, well that's the way I played him anyway... I think, hopefully, what comes out is compassionate but relatively well-balanced," he added.
He shared, "I talked to a lot of people who have met him because he's met a lot of people, he's met probably more than anyone except the Queen and Prince Philip. Almost everyone has extremely warm, kind things to say about him."
In a teaser for the upcoming season released earlier this month, past stars Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, who both portrayed the queen, make brief cameos as the British monarch is seen through the years.
"The crown is a symbol of permanence. It's something you are, not what you do," Foy's Elizabeth says.
"Some portion of our natural selves is always lost. We have all made sacrifices. It is not a choice. It is a duty," Colman's Elizabeth adds.
The clip then cuts to Imelda Staunton, the final actress portraying Elizabeth, stepping out on the balcony at Buckingham Palace as she thinks, "But what about the life I put aside? The woman I put aside?"
The Crown season 6 will premiere in two parts: Part 1 on Nov. 16 and Part 2 on Dec. 14.
RELATED CONTENT:
