These Are The Stars You Can Expect To See In Season 5 Of The Crown

Who among us isn't thinking about Netflix's hit series, "The Crown," in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's highly publicized funeral? It feels as though we're watching the drama of the biopic series play out in real-time. That said, "The Crown" is, of course, a bit behind reality, and fans can hardly wait to watch as it catches up. 

"The Crown" is known for changing casts every two seasons to show the passing of time (via CBC News). The fifth season is set to premiere in November 2022, and that means it's time for a whole new cast to play the royal family and the other players in their story, according to Today. The highly anticipated fifth season will follow the story from the early-to-mid 1990s, and as is true with most periods of the royal family's life, this season is sure to be filled with based-on-a-true-story drama. While the premiere is only two months away, fans are still waiting with bated breath to find out all they can about the upcoming season.

Season 5's Cast

Of course, the question on everyone's minds is who will be the next to fill the crown and play the late Queen Elizabeth II? The next monarch will be Imelda Staunton (via BT TV). Staunton has racked up quite a few credits in her 40-year career, but you probably know her best as the famous Dolores Umbridge from the "Harry Potter" franchise, according to IMDb. Staunton, who is set to fill Claire Foy and Olivia Coleman's big shoes, says she "loved watching The Crown from the very start," so it's clear that wearing that famous crown will be a dream come true for Netflix's newest queen. 

BT TV reported the rest of the cast as well. Queen Elizabeth's sister, Princess Margaret, will be played by Lesley Manville who's replacing Helena Bonham Carter from the last two seasons and Vanessa Kirby from the earlier seasons. Jonathan Pryce will take over as the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The role was previously played by Tobias Menzies and Matt Smith. Emma Corrin's role as Princess Diana will now be played by Elizabeth Debicki. Dominic West of "The Wire" and "The Affair" will star as the future King Charles III, (AKA Prince Charles) and Olivia Williams will be joining him as his future queen, Camilla Parker Bowles. Other cast members include Jonny Lee Miller as Prime Minister John Major, Bertie Carvel as Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Humayun Saeed, as Princess Di's love interest Dr. Hasnat Khan.

What we can expect from Season 5

It seems that folks can't get enough of the royal family's real-life drama, and its fictional counterpart is just as enthralling. Even Queen Elizabeth II, herself, allegedly tuned in for every episode of "The Crown." The series had a burst of popularity, returning to Netflix's Top 10 following the monarch's death (via What's on Netflix). 

The fifth season's story is rumored to begin in 1992, which happens to be the year that Queen Elizabeth II called 'annus horribilis', which means the 'horrible year' (per Digital Spy). This was a result of a fire breaking out in Windsor Castle, as well as three divorces within the royal family all happening within one year. The season will also cover King Charles III and Princess Diana's divorce.

As for the new cast, they will be returning for the fifth and sixth seasons. In fact, while the fifth season has yet to premiere, the sixth season has already begun filming and has reportedly cast roles for the teenage Prince William and Kate Middleton, according to Today. It's easy to be confident that the newest casting will be perfect, just as the past casts have been. According to the newest to fill the role of Queen Elizabeth II, Imelda Staunton, "I will do my upmost to maintain the very high standard that they set. Hopefully I look calm, collected and capable. My stomach, meanwhile, is doing somersaults."