Long before Meghan, prior to the Royal split and even before his penis was oscillating between extremely sensitive and borderline traumatised, Prince Harry was simply a boy. Through the ’90s, the then-youngest member of the British Royal Family was the picture of juvenile innocence, a freckle-faced lad with a cheeky grin that melted hearts the world over. But when tragedy struck the famous family, that effervescent smile disappeared from his sun-spotted face and changed the course of British history forever. Come November 16, Netflix is finally taking viewers back to the scene, charting the months before Princess Diana’s untimely death.
The streaming service has revealed a first look at The Crown Season 6, the critically acclaimed but historically inaccurate retelling of the world’s most famous family. After previous seasons touched on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the birth of Prince Andrew and the Royal Family’s failed attempts to improve public perception, the new instalment promises to dig up as much dirt as humanly possible. This time around, Netflix is reviving a tired trope, opting to end the long-running franchise with the tragic death of Lady Di.
According to the official synopsis, The Crown Season 6 sees Prince Charles and Princess Diana share very different holidays with their sons in their first Summer as a divorced couple. A blossoming romance between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed in the South of France gives the young Princes a taste of luxury yachts, video games and movie nights, while Charles remains rigidly tied to Balmoral. The comparisons play out in the press, fuelled by a fervent paparazzi, and some of the Royal press team.
As the contrast between the former lovers builds, the high-flying yacht-life slowly loses its appeal for Diana. Longing to see her boys, she sets course for a return to Balmoral, however, a fateful car journey leaves two children motherless and a country without its crown jewel. And it’s merely the beginning.
By all accounts, the new season of The Crown will focus largely on the impact Diana’s death had on her two children, Prince William and Harry, as they attempt to integrate back into life at Eton. With the monarchy forced to “ride a wave” of negative public opinion, Queen Elizabeth II must reflect on the traditions of the past, if only for the betterment of the future.
Admittedly, it’s not the first time we’ve seen a retelling of Diana’s death that focuses on her children, or even the impact it had on the Queen, but The Crown has something that few other adaptations can boast – five previous seasons spent building up suspense. Over seven years and 50 episodes, the Netflix smash hit has driven a decisive wedge between the staunch monarchists and the more liberal independents in Britain. Rehashing one of the darkest moments in the Crown’s history feels like a fitting (if not slightly predictable) conclusion, but it’s not for lack of effort.
In an attempt to squeeze every last bit of juice from the low-hanging Royal Family fruit, The Crown will also see Queen Elizabeth II “reflect on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new Royal fairytale in William and Kate”. While there is no word yet on whether the Princess of Wales will actually mak an appearance, Netflix did confirm the official casting its sixth season.
Imelda Staunton returns as Queen Elizabeth II, with Jonathan Pryce to play Prince Philip, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Dominic West as Prince Charles and Elizabeth Debicki to reprise her role as Princess Diana.
The Crown Season 6 will mark the final season of the long-running monarch drama, however, fans will have to wait a little longer for the epic conclusion. The final instalment has been split into two parts, with the first top drop on Netflix on November 16, while Part 2 arrives on December 14.
