Given history, it is safe to predict a handful of storylines that will likley be covered in The Crown season 5. Created by Peter Morgan, the popular Netflix series is an elegant dramatization of Queen Elizabeth II's historic reign, highlighting noteworthy events occurring at critical moments in Britain's history. Though the most talked-about batch of episodes so far, season 4 - which covered both Margaret Thatcher's rise to power and the entrance of Princess Diana - was also the show's most controversial, earning criticism from the Royal Family.
The Crown's season 4 finale concluded on Christmas of 1990, leading many to believe that the story will pick up shortly thereafter. Considering the well-documented turbulent drama surrounding the royals in the nineties, one could expect to see a slowing down of the show's timeline, having multiple episodes cover different events in the same year, a strategy that differs from faster-moving recent seasons (both seasons 3 and 4 spanned 13 years each). In particular, it would be unsurprising if a significant amount of time is spent in 1992, an infamous year for the royal family. A slowing down in the action is additionally supported by what audiences know about the upcoming casting. Elizabeth Debicki is set to play Princess Diana in both seasons 5 and 6, causing one to wonder if the iconic figure's tragic death in 1997 will be covered later rather than sooner.
Even if the show doesn't quite make it to the latter part of the decade, The Crown's new cast - full of other heavy-hitters like Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce - will have of intense and gripping material to work with. Here's our list of potential historical events that will likely be represented in The Crown season 5.
Prime Minister John Major
The Queen's relationship with Margaret Thatcher was presented as being a rather tense one in The Crown season 4, but fans should expect to see her finding something more like an ally in the Iron Lady's successor, John Major. The Prime Minister (also a member of the Conservative Party, having served in Thatcher's government) is said to have had mounted a campaign of support for the Queen and her family during the onslaught of criticism in the nineties. It is said that Majors and his wife were frequent visitors to Belmoral, the Windsor's Scottish holiday home, partaking in celebrations and parties throughout his tenure. In fact, Majors was so close to the Royal Family that he was named as special guardian of Princes William and Harry after their mother's death, giving him considerable legal power over their financial interests and inheritances.
Fire at Windsor Castle & Financial Troubles
In November of 1992, Queen Elizabeth's already difficult year was further complicated by a vicious fire at Windsor Castle. The blaze began accidentally on November 20th at around 11:15 AM in the Queen's Private Chapel when a curtain caught fire from a 1000-watt spotlight (being used for renovations) pressed against it for an extended period of time. Because of the building's age and a design which lacked the necessary fire-proofs, the flames quickly spread to some of the castle's private apartments where they continued to burn for nearly 12 hours. Thankfully, the fire didn't result in any major injury and many expensive pieces of artwork and furniture had already been removed from the area thanks to the renovations. However, the damage to the structure itself was extensive.
Ultimately, the event initiated a period of financial strain for the Royal Family. With an estimated 47.5 million dollars in property damage, the queen was forced to pay income tax - the first time a British monarch had done so since the 1930s. Additionally, to fund the restoration, Buckingham Palace was opened for public tours for the first time ever. The renovations and restorations were finally completed in 1997.
More Marital Troubles
As previous seasons of The Crown have indicated, the very idea of divorce within the Royal Family is incredibly taboo (Princess Margaret's engagement with divorcee Peter Townsend in season 1 was considered scandal and not allowed to proceed). Despite this history, many of the Windsor's marriages began to disintegrate rather rapidly in the early nineties - particularly in the infamous 1992. In that year, Prince Andrew separated from his wife Sarah Ferguson, who was photographed sunbathing topless with another man a few months later. Princess Anne divorced from her husband, Captain Mark Phillips in late April of the same year, as well.
Unsurprisingly, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marital troubles continued to be highly publicized, pushing them closer to their final division. Season 4 saw the couple coming under extraordinary strain which in real life led to their separation and eventual divorce, and season 5 will likely spend much time on their doomed relationship. The pair's alleged infidelities will likely be explored, as Charles is said to have continued seeing Camilla Parker-Bowles and Diana began a relationship with Dr. Hasnat Khan, a Pakistani-born cardiac surgeon.
Diana's Tell-All Book
Perhaps 1992's most shocking and sensational hit to the Royal Family came in the form of Diana: Her True Story, a tell-tale book written by Andrew Morton. The book detailed elements of Diana's unhappy marriage with Prince Charles (much of which had been unknown to the public), particularly his ongoing feelings toward Camilla Parker-Bowles. The book also addressed the princesses struggles with bulimia and her difficult childhood. Initially, both Diana and Moron denied the princess' direct involvement - at least officially - in the hopes to stave off action and retaliation from the Royal Family.
However, after Princess Diana's death, Morton re-released an augmented version the book, now entitled Diana: Her True Story In Her Own Words, confirming that Diana herself served as its primary source. With the re-release, Mortan also produced transcripts of secret tape recordings made during the princess' interviews used for the writing it. Should Diana's death occur in The Crown season 5, flashbacks to these interviews may explain Debicki's continued role in season 6, as this revelation caused enormous controversy in 1997 after she had passed.
Diana's Relationship with the Press
Whether or not The Crown season 5 will tackle Princess Diana's death may still be in question, but it is certain that the show will at least continue to highlight her relationship with the press. Last season's finale ended with a close up on Diana's troubled face, ominously foreshadowing her final moments, which involved fleeing insatiable paparazzi. At her funeral, Diana's brother Charles Spencer blisteringly noted that his sister's unrelenting coverage in the press contributed largely to her abrupt death. Therefore, the show will likely see Debicki's Diana reckoning with all of the unwanted attention and the mounting pressure that comes with being constantly hounded by journalists.
In late 1993, her toxic relationship with the press inspired Princess Diana to announce her indefinite retirement from public life. Though far more out of sight and limiting her charitable obligations, with Diana's waning marriage with Charles and secret interviews with Martin Bashir surfacing, it was hard to keep out of the limelight for long. Hopefully the show will feature Diana's considerable achievements during her span of relative freedom, including her work with HIV/AIDS foundations and speaking out against the use of landmines.
While The Crown season 5 is still shrouded in a bit of mystery, Peter Morgan has promised that Imelda Staunten's Queen Elizabeth will bring the show "into the twenty-first century." Production has yet to begin and the coronavirus pandemic may contribute to future schedule complications, so it is unlikely that new episodes will be on Netflix until 2022 at the very earliest. Yet, given all of the noteworthy events surround the series' key characters in the nineties, it is probable that this next season of The Crown will be the most dramatic yet.