The casting team behind The Crown should immediately get a raise.
About a month after Netflix released the teaser trailer for season four, we've now been given the first set of photos that introduce Emma Corrin as Princess Diana. And yes, her resemblance to the late royal is uncanny. Standing next to Josh O'Connor's Prince Charles, the 24-year-old actress is as glamorous as Prince Harry and Prince William's mother was in a red carpet shot that finds her wearing a strapless purple dress with a matching scarf and a swooped-over, ‘80s appropriate hairdo.
The fourth season of the Emmy-winning show takes place between 1979 and 1990, which means you can certainly expect Charles and Diana's love story to beautifully—and tragically—unfold. Of course, a retelling of their relationship wouldn't be complete without talking about Camilla Parker Bowles (Emerald Fennell), who in another new shot flashes a wide smile to Diana, dressed in a pastel yellow jacket.
According to Netflix's official description, "the royal family is becoming increasingly divided" during this period, when tensions in the U.K. rise thanks to newly-implemented policies introduced by Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson), Britain's first female Prime Minister. Netflix's new photos also offered the first glimpse of Anderson's take on Thatcher, who Meryl Streep masterfully portrayed in 2011's The Iron Lady. Those are big shoes to fill.
We also see the return of Crown regulars such as Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter), Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies), Princess Anne (Erin Doherty), and Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II (Olivia Colman).
Previously, the teaser trailer for season four offered a magical sneak peek of Corrin in a replica of Diana's instantly recognizable 1981 wedding gown, which was exclusively designed for her by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. Speaking to British Vogue about filming that scene, Corrin said, "I walked out and everyone went completely silent. More than anything else I wear in the series, it's so … It's her." Anyone else just get chills?
Scroll down to see more images of the season four cast in character.
When the time came to transform into Princess Diana, Corrin had jitters. "Initially I was very daunted, very much listened to the noise, heard all the voices, and got quickly frustrated and quite scared about it and thought, ‘This isn't actually giving me anything to work with," she told E! News. "So then I very much had to put blinkers on and just do my own thing."
Corrin continued, "I realized this is a character that I'm playing. This is The Crown's version of Diana. I can bring a lot of what I want to do with this part. Everything that resonates with me. That really changed it for me. It doesn't remove the pressure and the responsibility that I feel, but it made it more manageable to do the role."
During an interview with Radio Times, according to People, she revealed that Diana's battle with bulimia was a storyline she insisted the writers explore. Corrin said, "We'd been working on her body language, and we put together a document that we sent to the script team and said: 'Can you include some of this in the writing because we'd love to really flesh out those scenes?'"
Corrin continued, "I felt that if we were trying to depict bulimia in an honest way, we had to actually show it—otherwise it's a disservice to anyone who has been through that," she said. "I don't think we should shy away from those conversations; Diana was very candid about her experience with bulimia, and I so admire that."
Not so much. "I try not to think about it because I think it's kind of a slippery slope," she told E!. "I don't know whether they will or they won't watch it. I hope that if they do they enjoy it and appreciate our performances as exactly that—as performances, as interpretations of people who are in the public eye. But I hope that they also don't watch it if they don't want to because understandably it's hard."
To really get Corrin into character, the costume department made sure to get all of her looks as close to the real thing as possible.
"We almost see Diana's entire journey throughout season four," assistant costume designer Sidonie Roberts said in a press kit interview. "We start at the very beginning and see her evolve from a young girl living with her friends in Sloane Square to the makings of a princess, then actually becoming the 'People's Princess,' to finally the beginnings of the end, which we will see more of in season five."
Roberts added, "I think despite the obvious changes, there is a real sense, or arc, of the same person throughout all these stages in terms of how she dresses. There is and always was a sense of playfulness, an openness, and with that a vulnerability that connects her to her image."
According to Roberts, Corrin was nothing but a pro when it came to using the clothes for her characterization. She "completely understood just how integral clothes are to Diana's character and therefore the importance of her costumes for season four and our work," Roberts said. "So, with that said, from the very get-go she was so invested in the most excited, enthusiastic and committed way that it was a real joy for us working together with her."
Season four explores Princess Diana's solo trip to New York City in 1989.
Early in the season, Diana meets with Queen Elizabeth II (Olivia Colman) to select the ring.
And yes, you'll get to see Corrin wear a replica of Diana's iconic David and Elizabeth Emanuel wedding dress.
Despite their tumultuous relationship, season four also highlights the moments in which the couple—especially Diana—tried to make it work.
During an interview with E! News, Josh O'Connor joked that his portrayal of Prince Charles might get some viewers to hate him.
No spoilers, but Princess Diana's mood while taking family Christmas portraits warns of her future in season five.
As usual, The Crown's cast will completely change for seasons five and six. Elizabeth Debicki will replace Corrin as Princess Diana. "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."
Emerald Fennell takes on the role of Prince Charles' other love, Camilla Parker Bowles.
Season four explores Diana's rise to fame—and her relationship with the paparazzi.
There are plenty of moments throughout the season in which Corrin's interpretation of Diana will make you do a double take.
Aside from their few happy days, much of season four finds Diana and Charles bickering.
The actress does a fantastic job of embodying Britain's first female Prime Minister. Aside from Diana and Charles' relationship, the other half of the season is spent exploring the tension between Thatcher and the Queen.
The new season also explores Princess Margaret's relationship with mental health.
And more stoic than ever.
Season 4 of The Crown hits Netflix on November 15.