It’s been a long time since Netflix last offered up a new season of The Crown, but the wait is almost over for the many devotees of the hit royal drama that are out there. As one of the most widely acclaimed original series to come from the streaming giant, The Crown has enjoyed both critical plaudits and major viewing figures across its four seasons to date, so the odds are high that season five will be another big win for the platform once it finally arrives.
The Crown will be a much different show in its fifth season, though, as the role of Queen Elizabeth II has once again been handed over to a new actress. Claire Foy pioneered the part for the first two seasons, which covered the monarch’s earlier years on the throne, before Olivia Colman replaced her for seasons three and four, which moved into Her Majesty’s middle years. For season five, plus its upcoming sixth and final run, Imelda Staunton will be the one to don the eponymous crown.
When will The Crown season five premiere?
Unlike most Netflix shows, which tend to be unpredictable in their release patterns, The Crown has kept to a consistent schedule across its life-span. Every season has released in either November or December, with a year’s gap happening in between the switchover of the casts. So seasons one and two debuted in 2016 and 2017, season three then followed in 2019, and so on.
After skipping out 2021, then, season five is due to drop on Netflix this winter. As confirmed during the streamer’s Tudum event this September, we can expect The Crown season 5 to be with us on Nov. 9 2022. The new season will consist of the usual 10 episodes. Again, going by previous years, we can likely expect the sixth season to wrap up the saga of the Windsors in late 2023.
A first-look teaser for the run was also unveiled at Tudum, teasing the key new storyline that will dominate the season — the divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. A specially-shot teaser featuring Staunton was also released last fall (see above). Expect further updates to follow in the coming weeks.