Just a few days left for the first part of the much-awaited season of The Crown, and every bit of new information about the season is pouring in. It only serves to spike the anticipation of the viewers, especially with the way its immediate predecessor left, with everyone’s eyes on stalks on November 9, 2022.
Netflix’s fictionalized biopic, The Crown, is reputed to be one of the most expensive shows ever made, with each season costing more than $100 million for production. Viewers’ anticipation is only justified since they would want to know what made Morgan revisit his decision of initially creating only five seasons.
The sixth season is now slated to be released in two parts, with the first part of four episodes being released on November 16, 2023, followed by the second constituting six episodes on December 14, 2023. With only a week away from the first part’s release, here’s a comprehensive overview of the same.
The Crown Season 6 will see Prince William marrying Kate Middleton
The sixth and final season of Netflix’s fictionalized biopic will underscore the circumstances that the Royal family had to face between 1997 and 2005. In addition to featuring Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles’ relationship, the season will also highlight Princess Diana’s love affair with Dodi Fayed, culminating in the couple’s tragic deaths in a car accident in Paris on 31st August 1997. The creators have confirmed that they won’t show the crash on screen. Instead, they would highlight the consequences of Princess Diana’s death and how each member of the royal family dealt with it.
Per Deadline, showrunner Peter Morgan also stated that The Crown season 6 will not underscore the storyline that stretches to the contemporary period or, in fact, feature Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. However, the season will reportedly include Prince William meeting and marrying Kate Middleton.
The Crown season 6 part 1 cast
The wearer of the crown, Queen Elizabeth II, in the sixth season also will be portrayed by Harry Potter and Vera Drake star Imelda Staunton as the show transitions to the late ‘90s. Interestingly, according to ScreenRant, “Olivia Colman and Claire Foy will return to the cast for key scenes.”
In addition, a set of new faces have been introduced in the sixth season, including (courtesy of ScreenRant):
- Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip
- Dominic West as Prince Charles
- Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana
- Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret
- Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles
- Meg Bellamy as Kate Middleton
- Newcomer Rufus Kampa as teenage Prince William
- Newcomer Ed McVey as Prince William in his later teen/early adult years
- Filmmaker Luther Ford as Prince Harry
- Newcomer Will Powell as the younger Prince Harry
- Marcia Warren as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
- Claudia Harrison as Princess Anne
- James Murray as Prince Andrew, Duke of York
- Bertie Carvel as Tony Blair
- Lydia Leonard as Cheri Blair
- Kalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed
- Salim Daw as Mohamed Al-Fayed
- Viola Prettejohn as a younger Queen Elizabeth II
Since the sixth season of Peter Morgan’s show will predominantly underscore the consequences of Princess Diana’s death, it is important to explicate it a bit more and know what the directors and other people concerned with it have to say about it.
Princess Diana’s Death in The Crown season 6 part 1
Director Christian Schwochow, while in conversation with Deadline, went into detail about the role of Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana. He stated, “We did film Diana, but very respectfully – not in a big close-up. It was very, very clear to us that we don’t want to see her dead body. I actually think that it was not a discussion. Not even in the first version of the cut we would ever see her body.”
Giving due respect to the late Princess as well as to the Royal family, The Crown season 6, as revealed by the director, has tried to “give all the characters their private space with their grief and sadness (so as) to not exploit their emotions too much.”
The executive producers of the show, Andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie, have also stated that Netflix has dealt with Diana’s fatal accident with “enormous sensitivity”, since it was hailed to be the most controversial and talked about moment in history.
Deadline also reports that there was a lot of anxiety palpable behind the scenes while shooting the death of Princess Diana. Mackie stated, “We’re thoughtful people, and we’re sensitive people. There were very careful, long conversations about how we were going to do it.
“The audience will judge it in the end, but I think it’s been delicately, thoughtfully recreated. Elizabeth Debicki is an extraordinary actress and she was so thoughtful and considerate. She loved Diana. There’s a huge amount of respect from us all, I hope that’s evident.”
The Crown season 6 part 1 trailer
On October 26, 2023, Netflix released the trailer for The Crown season 6 part 1, which constituted 2:22 minutes. The trailer gave a sneak peek to the viewers into Diana’s life after her marriage and her relationship with Dodi Fayed. Imelda Staunton, who plays Queen Elizabeth, is shown to have a more sympathetic side toward Diana as she is heard remarking, “all one wants is for that girl to find peace”.
The first full-length trailer of the sixth season is played with the background music cover of the song “Mad World” by Gary Jules. The trailer unraveled the despair that Diana felt after her divorce, especially when she was constantly smothered by the British press. The sixth season will be the culmination of the tension fostered in the previous seasons of The Crown, proving it to be one of the most emotional ones so far.
The Crown season 6 part 1 episode titles
As mentioned previously, the first part of the sixth season will constitute four episodes, having an approximate runtime of an hour each. Christian Schwochow, the director of episodes 2, 3, and 4, stated that these episodes are shot as “one big film” that covers the final days of Diana’s life.
The director talks about these events in detail, saying (courtesy of What’s on Netflix):
“It starts in the Mediterranean where we see Dodi and Diana having a summer romance on Dodi’s dad’s yacht. Then being found by a paparazzi who takes a picture of them kissing which changes everything in their life and they go to Paris together in episode 3 and this is where the big chase of Dodi and Diana by the paparazzi begins. And we know how it ends in the tunnel Pont de l’Alma where they, where they end up in this tragic car accident and episode 4 is the aftermath of that terrible accident and it’s a story about grief and about the world in tears and the story about two men, Prince Charles and Mohamed Al-Fayed trying to deal with their grief and also the Queen who has to find a position whether to show any emotion and to go to London and show grief or not.”
The Crown season 6 part 1 includes the following episodes (courtesy of What’s on Netflix):
Episode 601: ‘Persona Non Grata’
Directed by Alex Gabassi
Summary:
Princess Diana and the boys kickstart their vacation off to St Tropez, “a holiday courtesy of Mohamed Al Fayed.” As a consequence, Prince Charles ventures forth to legitimize his relationship with Camilla in front of the public by organizing a glamorous fiftieth birthday party at Highgroves, anticipating the Queen’s arrival. On a parallel note, this holiday, courtesy of Fayed, is a move to bolster a romantic spark between the Princess and his son, Dodi. But how will that happen when Dodi is already engaged to someone else?
Episode 602: “Two Photographs”
Directed by Christian Schwochow
Summary:
Ultimately, Fayed wins, and a romance is blossomed between his son and the Princess. As a consequence, the couple returns to the south of France, as they understand each other better. This closeness happens in the backdrop of an idyllic cruise ship, “far from the madding crowd.” But, are they?
Not really. A photographer is in their tail taking intimate images. Unfortunately, one of them becomes the front page of a tabloid. What else did Prince Charles’ private secretary need? Prince Charles will now respond to the photo with “a staged family photo of Charles and his sons.”
Episode 603: “Dis-Moi Oui”
Directed by Christian Schwochow
Daring yet again, Diana sets off on a vacation with Dodi on the Fayed yacht. But things are not as romantic as she expected it to be since there is a looming legal battle awaiting Dodi, owing to a charge filed against him by his former fiancée. Occupied with the thoughts of reuniting with her sons, the holiday turns bland. But it culminates in Fayed pressurizing his son to propose to the Princess. Meanwhile, Philip aids William into the “art of deer-stalking.”
Episode 604: “Aftermath”
Directed by Christian Schwochow
The world wakes up to the news of Diana and Dodi’s fatal car accident. As a consequence, everyone is shocked and grieving, “which catches the Queen off-guard.” Her absence from London (since she remains at Balmoral), is understood to be the Royal Family’s indifference to the event. Charles, being the sensible one here, requests his mother to digress from the rigid protocol for once and make a public appearance. Fayed is also depicted mourning the loss of his only son.
Based upon this comprehensive overview, how excited are you to watch The Crown season 6? Comment your views on the comment section given below!