As Netflix’s The Crown wraps up its decades-spanning royal epic, the second installment of the sixth and final season will shift gears to focus on the new vanguard of the British royal family.
Since the drama series premiered on the streaming giant in 2016, The Crown has brought to life the inner workings of the Firm, capturing the various events and scandals that punctuated the longest-ever reign of a British monarch.
Season six has been divided into two parts. The first, out today on Netflix, focuses on Princess Diana’s life after her divorce from Prince Charles and, eventually, her untimely death in 1997. Next month, part two will fast-forward in time to put a bigger spotlight on her elder son and the heir to the throne: Prince William.
Ahead, everything you need to know about part two of season six of The Crown.
When will part two drop?
Netflix released part one, which includes the first four episodes, on November 16. We can expect the last four episodes when part two of season six drops on December 14.
What's in the trailer?
The trailer for the final installment of The Crown teases the epic conclusion to the royal saga, which will leave us some time in the early aughts. The trailer highlights certain tensions between Queen Elizabeth and her heirs, Prince Charles and Prince William.
In the wake of her mother and sister's deaths, Elizabeth is struggling to reconcile the personal sacrifices she has made with her responsibilities as monarch. Notably, the trailer also provides glimpses of returning cast members Claire Foy, Matt Smith, and Vanessa Kirby, who played Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, and Princess Margaret in Seasons 1 and 2. The actors are presumably returning for the final season for flashback scenes.
Meanwhile, Charles is struggling to paternally connect with his eldest son, who, as he enters his early years of adulthood, is confronting the weight of the future ahead of him. In one scene, William shyly smiles at a young Kate Middleton, who struts down the runway during a university fashion show while wearing the famous sheer dress that supposedly sparked their relationship.
View full post on YoutubeWhat is part two about?
While part one of season six primarily follows the burgeoning romance between Diana and Dodi Fayed, the second installment will portray Prince William as he begins his pursuit of higher education at St. Andrews College. There, he will meet Kate Middleton, his eventual wife and the next Princess of Wales.
In addition to William and Kate’s onscreen love story, we can expect to see a deeper behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between Charles and Camilla, whom he ultimately married in 2005, as well as looks at other royals like Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, and Prince Harry.
Read the full synopsis for part two below:
Still coming to terms with his mother’s death, Prince William heads back to Eton amidst an increase in attention from young female fans touched by his plight. The struggle to re-adjust leads to tensions with his family, as they try to support another young heir to find his way in the system and the world.
Later, as Prince William takes up his place at St Andrew’s University, the omnipresent conflict of life as a public servant continues as he tries to balance the traditional undergraduate rites of passage with the constraints of his position and constant presence of personal protection officers. His perseverance is tested when he develops a crush on one of the most desired students on campus: a woman by the name of Kate Middleton.
Princess Margaret suffers a stroke and is suddenly forced to reassess her lifestyle. As her health continues to decline, she finds herself slipping back into her memories, back to her secret night out with her sister during the biggest party in history: VE Day 1945. The memories from that evening, and what it taught her about her older sister, comfort her in her final days.
With the passing of her sister and her mother, her Golden Jubilee and having approved the marriage between Prince Charles and Camilla, the Queen starts to consider her reign and ultimately her legacy. Approaching her ninth decade, the Queen is forced to dig deep and really examine what is best for the future of the monarchy.
Who’s been cast in part two?
For the most part, the cast remains unchanged, with series regulars continuing their roles as members of the royal family. This includes Dominic West as Charles, Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth, Jonathan Pryce as Philip, and Olivia Williams as Camilla.
Newcomers will include Ed McVey as William, Meg Bellamy as Kate, and Luther Ford as Harry.
Will part two cover present-day events?
To put it briefly, no. While the royal family remains subject to even more scandals and rumors than what has been depicted in The Crown, showrunner Peter Morgan has previously spoken about not wanting to tackle modern events—so don’t expect to see a portrayal of Meghan Markle onscreen any time soon.
“As we started to discuss the storylines for series five, it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons,” Morgan told Deadline in 2020. “To be clear, series six will not bring us any closer to present day—it will simply enable us to cover the same period in greater detail.”
