The Crown season 5 is almost here – and in honor of its fast-approaching release date, Netflix has released a special featurette. In it, the period drama's all-new cast tease the upcoming installment alongside a ton of fresh footage, which offers up our first real glimpses at Camilla, Philip and Margaret's narratives in particular.
"No institution is beyond reproach, and no member of it either," Imelda Staunton's Elizabeth II states via voiceover as the promo, which you can watch below, kicks off. "1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. It has turned out to be an annus horribilus." Over those 12 months, the Queen dealt with the collapse of three of her children's marriages – including Prince Charles' to Princess Diana – and the fire that severely damaged Windsor Castle.
But given that season 5 is likely to span over a decade, those are hardly the only hardships we'll see the fictionalized version of the real-life ruler face. According to series creator Peter Morgan, the fifth season is also set to explore how "overtly critical" people were of the monarchy in the early 1990s.
"It's quite shocking," he says in the clip, as Staunton adds: "It does start with people questioning, 'Do we need the monarchy? Do we need the Queen?' And she has to ride that particular storm."
A new decade; a new, all-star ensemble. Introducing the cast of The Crown Season 5. pic.twitter.com/bQ3sth5XqPNovember 2, 2022
Then, we're treated to a couple of tension-filled scenes between the sovereign and her son Charles (Dominic West), as they clash on how to modernize themselves and make the Royal Family more relevant again. Elsewhere, Philip frets over how the public are perceiving Elizabeth: "She never stops, she never complains. She never puts a foot wrong, she's utterly magnificent, and they print rubbish like this?" he growls.
Elizabeth Debicki opens up on her Diana, too, explaining: "As a result of the marriage breaking down and how she becomes more and more removed from the rest of the royal family, that sort of encourages her to grow other pieces of her life in an attempt to recoup control." Later, Olivia Williams talks about Camilla's jarring switch from Charles' "close friend" to "subject of media scrutiny", while Lesley Manville – who plays Elizabeth's sister Princess Margaret – praises season 5 for carving out time for "little quiet dramas" in amongst it's explosive, "epic stories".
The Crown seasons 1-4 are available to stream now. While we wait for season 5 to land on November 9, check out our breakdown of the best Netflix shows for some viewing inspiration.
