Set photos from The Crown season 5 highlight the show’s adaptation of one of Princess Diana’s iconic dresses. The Crown is a Netflix original drama series focusing on the history of the UK’s royal family since the reign of Queen Elizabeth II began in 1952. The Crown season 4, which was released in 2020, was set against the backdrop of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s rise to power in the late ’70s and subsequent resignation in 1990. The Crown also introduced Princess Diana as portrayed by Emma Corrin and key plotlines centered on the deterioration of her relationship with Prince Charles. While focusing on the life and relationships of the British royals, the series has also captured audiences with its examination of the wider and ever-changing social and political contexts of the time period in which it's set.
As The Crown chronicles a large time span, its cast has changed as the seasons have progressed. The first and second seasons were led by Claire Foy and Matt Smith, who portrayed Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip respectively. The actors, and the rest of the cast, were replaced at the start of the third season to reflect the increasing age of the characters and the passage of time. The Crown season 5 will see the replacement of the cast happen again, as Olivia Colman bows out from her time as the UK’s monarch and the part is passed onto Imelda Staunton, famous for her portrayal of the wicked Professor Umbridge in the Harry Potter film series. Princess Diana will be portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki, who will take on the role after appearing in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Now, photos shared to Twitter by the account ArchiveDebicki reveal how The Crown will adapt the dress worn by Princess Diana on her last public appearance, prior to her death in 1997. The textured blue dress shown in the set photos is reminiscent of Princess Diana’s own, but with a different cut and changes to small details. The photos also highlight how successfully Debicki has managed to replicate the late Princess’s distinctive appearance, with the help of makeup artists and hairstylists. Check out the new set images below:
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The Crown has rarely sought to achieve exact similarity of appearance between the actors and their real-life subjects, but fans will be taken aback by the level of likeness that Debicki has managed to achieve. The actor’s appearance in the fifth season of The Crown will no doubt be compared to Kristen Stewart’s in the recent film Spencer, in which Stewart portrayed Princess Diana over the course of a Christmas season with the UK’s royal family. Stewart has been nominated for numerous awards for her performance and is seen as a strong contender for 2022’s Academy Award for Best Actress. Fans will hope that Debicki can match Stewart’s turn, and aim for her own awards as well.
Still, The Crown has been met with criticism from some quarters for being insufficiently accurate and fans, as well as people interested in the history of the UK’s royal family, will be paying particular attention to the portrayal of Princess Diana when the series begins. It looks likely that the divorce between Dominic West's Prince Charles and Princess Diana will be covered as a key plot point during the show’s fifth season, but whether or not her death will be shown in the upcoming season or in its follow-up still isn’t clear. Regardless of where The Crown season 5 takes audiences up to, audiences will hope it can continue in the strong run of form with which the previous season left off.
Source: ArchiveDebicki