By Lacy Baugher for Drama on August 19th, 2020

Netflix's 'The Crown' Has Found Its Final Princess Diana

Elizabeth Debicki in "The Night Manager" (Photo: Des Willie/BBC/The Ink Factory, via AMC)

As Netflix's lavish period drama prepares for its endgame, The Crown is firming up the cast list for its final two seasons. 

Actress Elizabeth Debicki has been tapped to play the Princess of Wales in Seasons 5 and 6 of the period drama as the group of core Royal Family members is aged up for the third and final time. Over the course of its run, the show has chosen to swap out its leads every two years to allow the characters to grow older naturally, rather than slap various cast members in a brick of aging make-up. Matt Smith and Claire Foy headlined the series for Seasons 1 and 2 as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, with Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies taking their places for Seasons 3 and 4, and Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce lined up for Seasons 5 and 6. 

We've yet to officially meet Diana Spencer in the world of The Crown, but given that Prince Charles and Camilla Parker ended their relationship at the conclusion of Season 3, she will likely be arriving on the scene at some point early in Season 4. Emma Corrin is playing the younger version of Diana, but will only get to wear the proverbial tiara for a single season before Debicki takes over.

Elizabeth Debicki will play Princess Diana in the final two seasons of The Crown (Seasons 5 and 6). pic.twitter.com/Z3CjHuJ56B

— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) August 16, 2020

Debicki, who bears a striking physical resemblance to the late Princess, is probably most familiar to Anglophile audiences from her turn in AMC's The Night Manager as well as roles in feature films Widows and the 2015 remake of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (She also has a key role in the latest upcoming Christopher Nolan film, Tenet.)

"Princess Diana's spirit, her words, and her actions live in the hearts of so many," Debicki said in a statement. "It is my true privilege and honor to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one."

Seasons 5 and 6 aren't slated to begin filming until June 2021, and both will once again film back-to-back. As a result, this means we're unlikely to see The Crown Season 5 before 2022. But, that's okay, we still have the entire fourth season to get through, which has yet to stream. Though if history is any indication there, Season 4 is likely to arrive on our screens at some point before the end of 2020, most likely in December.

What do you think of this casting? Are you looking forward to more of The Crown? Let's discuss in the comments.

By Lacy Baugher for Drama on August 19th, 2020
Lacy Baugher

Lacy's love of British TV is embarrassingly extensive, but primarily centers around evangelizing all things Doctor Who, and watching as many period dramas as possible.

Digital media type by day, she also has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and dearly loves to talk about dream poetry, liminality, and the medieval religious vision. (Sadly, that opportunity presents itself very infrequently.) York apologist, Ninth Doctor enthusiast, and unabashed Ravenclaw. Say hi on Threads or Blue Sky at @LacyMB. 

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