Blink & You'll Miss the First Glimpse of Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in The Crown

The Princess has arrived for production! See the first photo of Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana for season five of The Crown.

By Alyssa Ray Aug 05, 2021 7:38 PMTags
Watch: Why "The Crown" Won't Tackle Meghan & Harry's Story

Emma Corrin's reign as the Princess of Wales has officially come to an end.

Almost a year after Elizabeth Debicki was announced as The Crown's new Princess Diana, the Australian actress was spotted filming a scene for the highly anticipated fifth season. Debicki, along with two child actors who are likely playing younger versions of Prince William and Prince Harry, was seen on the grounds of Ardverikie Lodge, which doubles as the royal family's Scottish holiday home, Balmoral Castle.

It's clear the new season is set right in the heart of the '90s as Debicki was seen wearing one of Diana's favorite looks: jeans and a chic, oversized blazer. And, much like Corrin, Debicki's transformation into the late Princess appears to be seamless.

This isn't necessarily surprising as the Tenet actress was more than excited to tackle this role. "Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many," she said in a statement last year. "It is my true privilege and honour to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one."

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Fact-Checking The Crown Season 4

Production for season five of The Crown is obviously ramping up as, just last week, Netflix released the first image of Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II. Yet, this doesn't mean we can expect the new season to drop anytime soon as new episodes are slated to arrive on Netflix in 2022.

Still, we cannot wait to see the other transformations the season has in store for us. For those who may've missed it, the new cast list also features Jonathan Pryce as Prince Phillip, Dominic West as Prince Charles and Lesley Manville, who will tackle the oh-so-charming Princess Margaret.

Peter Jolly/Shutterstock

While we wait for more news regarding season five of The Crown, find everything we know about the show's future below.

How Much of The Crown Is Left?

There are two more seasons to go before the tiaras and tea sets get put away for good (or at least until creator Peter Morgan decides to get them out again). Season five is next, and season six will be the last. 

When Will Season 5 Arrive?

November 2022! 

We know that it feels like we've waited forever, but the show has followed its routine production schedule. Season one came out in 2016, followed by season two in 2017. Season three arrived in 2019, season four in 2020, and now there's another break for season five. Morgan explained in an interview with THR that he needs the time off to both shoot and write the next season, since the show films in two-season chunks. 

The sixth and final season will likely premiere in 2023. 

How Far Will The Crown Get Before It Ends?

Seasons five and six will take the royal family into the 21st century, but not too far into it. Nothing super recent will be covered, but since each season tends to span around a decade, it makes sense that the show might end with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. That would mean William and Kate's 2011 wedding would be featured, but little else from the 2010s. 

The New Diana

Elizabeth Debicki will play a slightly older Diana in season five, which will likely cover the '90s from her split from Charles to her death in 1997. She takes over from Emma Corrin, who debuted in season four.

The former Princess of Wales' boyfriend Dodi Fayed will reportedly be played by Khalid Abdalla, per Variety. Dodi's billionaire father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, will also appear in season five, as Oslo actor Salim Daw has been cast in this role.

The New Queen

The entire cast gets replaced every two seasons, so Olivia Colman will pass the torch to Imelda Staunton, who you may know best as Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter

The New Prince Philip

Game of Thrones star Jonathan Pryce will play Prince Philip in seasons five and six, taking over for Tobias Menzies.

The New Princess Margaret

Lesley Manville will follow in the footsteps of Helena Bonham Carter as the new Princess Margaret in seasons five and six.

The New Prince Charles

The Wire and The Affair star Dominic West plays Prince Charles, succeeding Josh O'Connor in the role.

Dominic's own son Senan will play a teenage Prince William in season five.

Meet Prime Minister John Major

Jonny Lee Miller has joined The Crown for season five as John Major, the British Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997. Gillian Anderson played previous Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who left office in 1990.

Meet Prince William and Kate Middleton

In Sept. 2022, Netflix revealed that two actors will portray a young William in season six: 16-year-old Rufus Kampa and 21-year-old Ed McVey. And 19-year-old Meg Ballamy will play Kate. 

Is There Any Chance of Seeing Meghan Markle on The Crown?

Sadly, no. As much as we keep hoping, Morgan said that Harry and Meghan, despite the captivating drama they've added to the world of the royal family, are too recent to cover with any clarity. 

"Meghan and Harry are in the middle of their journey, and I don't know what their journey is or how it will end," he told THR. "One wishes some happiness, but I'm much more comfortable writing about things that happened at least 20 years ago. I sort of have in my head a 20-year rule. That is enough time and enough distance to really understand something, to understand its role, to understand its position, to understand its relevance." 

Here's hoping for another season in 2040!  

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