The Crown is one of Netflix's most cinematic and critically acclaimed original series, which leads us to this good news: It's not going away any time soon. The historical drama, which turned Claire Foy into a household name, has been picked up for two more seasons, and the plan is for many more to come. The show centers on Queen Elizabeth II's life, after all, so there's plenty of ground to cover.
But in between the cast's Emmy and Golden Globes wins was a bit of controversy. In March 2018, the show's producers confirmed Foy was paid less than costar Matt Smith (Prince Philip). Foy herself said she's "not surprised" why people would find the pay disparity "odd." But though Foy's time on the show is now done, the producers insist that going forward, Queen Elizabeth will get top billing, as she should. That's certainly a positive step forward for season three.
This salary news isn't the only detail we've heard about the show's next chapter. Here is what we know—and check back often because we'll keep updating as more information is available.
New episodes will debut on November 17. Netflix officially announced the streaming date for the new season via a press release. Shooting began last summer, according to the BBC.
In a new teaser trailer released on September 20, the show gives a wink and a nod to the fact that Olivia Colman is replacing Claire Foy as the queen. In the scene, her majesty is looking at a new stamp design and we get a glimpse of Foy's version.
X content
Netflix released the first full-length trailer for the season on October 21—and there's so much drama in the palace. It looks like we'll get to see more of the push and pull of the queen's relationship with her sister, Princess Margaret, as well as Prince Charles trying to figure out his own role in the family. All this is set against turmoil in Britain and politicians who are not in favor of the royal family, in general.
"We have all made sacrifices and suppressed who we are," Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth says in a voiceover. "It is not a choice. It is a duty."
Watch for yourself below:
It will include a brand-new cast. We're moving time periods, so the actors themselves will change to reflect that. Olivia Colman is replacing Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth. Outlander star Tobias Menzies is jumping into Prince Philip's shoes, taking over for Matt Smith. And Helena Bonham Carter is stepping into the Princess Margaret role, which was previously occupied by Vanessa Kirby. Here's your first look at Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth:
X content
Here's Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret:
X content
And here's Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip:
X content
Ben Daniels will be playing Princess Margaret's husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones. Josh O'Connor and Marion Bailey will take over the roles of Prince Charles and the queen mother, replacing Julian Baring and Victoria Hamilton.
X content
Erin Doherty will play Princess Anne.
We're jumping into the 1960s and 1970s. Season two ended things in 1964; if the show's chronological nature doesn't change, it's safe to say season three will pick up shortly after season two ends. The Sunday Times reports the next installment will cover the era when Harold Wilson was prime minister (1964 to 1970, and 1970 to 1976). And Netflix confirmed via a press release the season will span from 1964 to 1977.
In a recent Entertainment Weekly cover story, it was revealed that some of the events covered in season three will be the discovery (in 1964) that the queen's art adviser Anthony Blunt was a Soviet spy, Labour Party leader Harold Wilson's becoming prime minister, and the 1966 Aberfan disaster, in which an avalanche of coal waste buried a school in Wales and killed more than 100 people, mostly children.
New photos also show scenes at Prince Charles's investiture ceremony where he became the Prince of Wales with Charles, the queen, the queen mother, Princess Margaret, and Princess Anne.
There is also a re-creation of Winston Churchill's funeral.
Showrunner Peter Morgan also said that the upcoming season will deal less with Elizabeth and Philip's marriage.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will make her debut. However, Princess Diana isn't appearing on the show until later. Camilla will be played by Emerald Fennell, who is also the current showrunner of Killing Eve.
X content
“People always assume Charles cheated on Diana with Camilla,” Morgan told EW, of the relationship. “It’s absolutely the wrong way round. He was deeply in love with Camilla and forced to marry Diana.”
The deterioration of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones's marriage will be explored. This is a historical drama, after all, and that's what happened during the time period season three is covering. The show's historical consultant confirmed this news to Town & Country.
“They’re such extraordinary people,” Ben Daniels, who takes over the Armstrong-Jones role from Matthew Goode, told EW. “Completely addicted to each other. Even right up until the minute they were getting divorced, they still had a really strong physical relationship. People often said that it was like foreplay for them, having a big row. They would have these huge rows and then amazing sex.”
A fourth season is definitely happening too. As the days wind down until the season 3 premiere, The Crown is busy starting production on the fourth season. Exact details on the story lines for the next chapter are still under wraps, but the show has announced its first new cast member: Gillian Anderson will play Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the U.K. Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. "I am relishing exploring beneath the surface and, dare I say, falling in love with the icon who, whether loved or despised, defined an era," Anderson said.
X content
The plan, according to Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos, is to have The Crown run for six seasons and cover Queen Elizabeth's entire life.
