The long-awaited fifth season of The Crown will arrive on Netflix this week, bringing with it an all new cast playing the British royal family.
The historical period drama from Peter Morgan has been mired in controversy, with critics including Dame Judi Dench calling for a disclaimer to be added to the series to label it as fiction, who feared the upcoming season could present “an inaccurate and hurtful account of history”.
Dominic West, who is set to take over from Josh O’Connor as the then-Prince Charles in season 5, has defended the timing of the drama, describing its arrival two months after Her Majesty’s death as “poignant”.
The Affair actor said that royal fans can take comfort in learning more about the monarch by watching the new season, and commented on the recent “uptake” in people watching previous seasons of The Crown following the Queen’s funeral.
“Well, I think it makes it rather poignant, I think I think we all had a period of mourning and shooting season 6 was suspended during the period of mourning,” West told RadioTimes.com and other press.
“And what’s interesting is how much there’s been an uptake of watching previous seasons of the crown since the funeral. And obviously it’s something that people are going to for information because they want to know more about the royals probably, but also probably for comfort.”
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He continued: “And to remember the Queen’s life in a way that I don’t think [has] ever been depicted so well as it was in seasons 1 and 2 certainly, and 3 and 4. So I think it’s rather poignant and obviously The Crown always opens in November and it doesn’t seem too soon to me. In fact, I think the the appetite is greater for it as a result.”
Imelda Staunton, who is taking over from Oscar-winner Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth, has become the first actor to play the Queen following her death – but she denied suggestions that it had been a huge weight or responsibility to bear.
“No, it can’t, because whatever I feel about, it shouldn’t spill onto the set at all, or into our story,” the Harry Potter star said. “And I had a gap in filming after she died, and I was grateful for that. And so then you regroup and we just carry on with the series that we’re making.”
New cast members also include Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret and Jonny Lee Miller as John Major.
The Crown season 5 will be released on Netflix on 9th November 2022 and you can watch seasons 1-4 right now. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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