The long-awaited The Crown season 6 is officially here – but there's more to come. On November 16, Netflix dropped the first four episodes of the show which focuses on Princess Diana’s life after her divorce from Prince Charles and, eventually, her untimely death in 1997. But later this month, part two will drop – and there will be a bigger spotlight on her elder son and the heir to the throne: Prince William.
Of course, there's been a whole lot of excitement because during season 6, viewers are finally introduced to the three young actors playing Kate, William and Harry – that's Meg Bellamy, Ed McVey and Luther Ford.
Not only do these three newcomers bear a striking resemblance to the young royals they portray, they are quickly becoming the new ‘it’-actors of the season. You can expect to see them absolutely everywhere.
For the millions who have already binged-watched the first part, Netflix are whetting our appetite for the next installment with a release of some new stills from Season 6, part two – including Kate modelling that famous see-through dress – y'know, the one that supposedly stepped the royal romance up a gear. Here's the proof:
Royal fans were initially sad to learn that the hit Emmy-winning Netflix series would end with its fifth season, but show creator Peter Morgan changed his mind back in 2020. He said in an official statement: "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."
So, season six of The Crown will officially be the last.
Of course, the first instalment of The Crown season six centred around the tragic death of Princess Diana, of which Elizabeth Debicki has since described shooting the scenes as “difficult”.
“At times it’s almost like an anomalistic response to being pursued, by that many actors playing the press, because there’s nowhere you can go and you only have to be in a situation like that for about a minute, before you realise this is completely unbearable,” said Debicki, in comments briefed to the press by Netflix.
She added: “And no-one should ever be having to experience what it feels like to try and get the scenes in the daytime in Paris, trying to get from one place to another, and to have this swarm around you. You feel very trapped. It’s a really unpleasant experience.”
So, what can we expect from The Crown's final season – part two? As well as Will and Kate, will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's romance take centre stage, or will the focus still be on Princess Diana? If you too feel curious (I mean, who isn't?!), then join GLAMOUR as we look at what we can expect in the final episodes of the popular royal drama.
First off, see the trailer – for part two – for yourself…
The Crown season 6 trailer
What will The Crown's season six plot focus on?
The Crown Season 6 is being released in two stages. The first part depicts the final summer of Princess Diana's life before her tragic death on 31 August 1997 in a car crash in Paris's Pont de l'Alma tunnel. But the actual moment itself will not be covered.
Scenes also include Prince Charles arriving in Paris to retrieve the Princess of Wales' body, and Dodi Al-Fayed's father, Mohamad Al-Fayed, met with racism from French authorities when he arrives to pick up his son's body.
Dominic West told Deadline back in August 2022 that Princess Diana's death storyline “will be as tumultuous as it gets.” The publication also reported a lot of "anxiety behind the scenes" of filming that moment, although scenes will focus on the build-up to her passing and the immediate aftermath. The full crash would be seen as too much for many viewers.
"We've been dreading getting to this point," a source added. “It's fair to acknowledge that there's a certain anxiety, a palpable sense of being slightly on the edge. I mean, there's bombshell sensitivity surrounding this one.”
What will The Crown season six part two be about?
In part two of the final series, we will see Prince William meet his future wife – and the lady who will one day be our Queen – Kate Middleton, now the Princess of Wales. First-look images have been revealed of Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy, who will portray the couple when they meet at university:
The pictures show Bellamy's Kate walking past the Prince on campus with academic books in hand, with the royal watching her walk by. An iconic moment in history.
We can also see what looks like one of their first conversations on campus. Above all, the return of the bootcut jeans are a serious vibe. Netflix has also released further stills of the famous fashion show where Kate appeared in a see-through dress, as William sat front row and reportedly said to his friend, "Wow, Kate's hot."
Prince William is portrayed by two different actors, Rufus Kampa – who will portray him at 15, in the aftermath of the death of his mother – and Ed McVey, who will cover his university years onwards. This will mark the onscreen debut for all three actors: Bellamy, Kampa and McVey. Here's some more first-look images:
We can also expect to see key events such as the Queen and Prince Philip's golden wedding anniversary in 1997 and potentially Charles and Camilla's marriage in 2005. However, the show is unlikely to depict more recent events in the royal family, as producer Suzanne Mackie explained showrunner Peter Morgan's thoughts in an interview with Broadcast.
"Peter has said it very articulately that he simply can't write something unless there has been time to gain a proper perspective. I think he's always felt ten years is the minimum amount of time that he can see something in a historical context to allow him to really understand it," she said.
When asked if he may change his mind, she added: “We all know these stories, but what Peter does so brilliantly is get underneath that and understand the landscape in a more nuanced, complex, surprising way.”
The Crown season 6 cast
Aside from the actors cast to play Prince William and Kate Middleton, no central roles in the final season will be recast, so most of the cast of season five are expected to return.
That includes Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales; Dominic West as Charles, Prince of Wales; and Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II. Actors Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Jonny Lee Miller, Marcia Warren, Olivia Williams, Claudia Harrison, James Murray, Khalid Abdalla, Bertie Carvel and Timothy Dalton are all set to return.
Kelly Brook is set to make a cameo of sorts, though, as she explained on Heart FM (via Daily Star) that she had to give a picture clearance request for one of her pictures from her early modelling days to be used in one of the character's rooms. "That's definitely got to be a teenage boy's bedroom. Could I be on the wall of Prince Harry or Prince William's bedroom at Buckingham Palace? Was I a pin-up for them back in the '90s? How old were they then? Well, this is incredible. Of course, I have said yes," she said.
When is The Crown season 6 release date?
Part one of the final season is already available on Netflix, while the second part will hit the streamer on 14 December.
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