‘The Crown’ Ending After Season 5, Imelda Staunton To Take Over Role Of The Queen
by Brent FurdykFans of “The Crown” who have been hoping to watch a dramatization of what took place behind palace doors during Harry and Meghan’s royal exit will be saddened to learn that the show will end with its fifth season.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Peter Morgan, creator and showrunner of “The Crown” confirmed on Friday that the fifth season will be the series’ last.
“At the outset I had imagined ‘The Crown’ running for six seasons but now that we have begun work on the stories for season 5 it has become clear to me that this is the perfect time and place to stop,” said Morgan. “I’m grateful to Netflix and Sony for supporting me in this decision.”
In the announcement, Morgan also revealed that a new actress will take over the role of Queen Elizabeth II for the show’s final season: Imelda Staunton, whose screen credits include “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and “Vera Drake”, for which she received an Oscar nomination.
Morgan said he was “absolutely thrilled” to see Staunton “taking ‘The Crown’ into the 21st century,” taking over the role from Oscar winner Olivia Colman after Claire Foy portrayed the Queen in the show’s first two seasons.
“I have loved watching ‘The Crown’ from the very start,” said Staunton. “As an actor it was a joy to see how both Claire Foy and Olivia Colman brought something special and unique to Peter Morgan’s scripts. I am genuinely honoured to be joining such an exceptional creative team and to be taking ‘The Crown’ to its conclusion.”
Interestingly enough, this won’t be the first time that Staunton will have portrayed the Queen, having previously played Her Royal Highness in the 2003 U.K. miniseries “Cambridge Spies”.
No premiere date has been set for the fourth season of “The Crown” but it’s expected to debut in late 2020.
