‘The Crown’ Officially Announces Its Final Season (and Its Last Queen Elizabeth)

All good things must come to an end. And unfortunately, that includes Netflix’s The Crown. Creator Peter Morgan has revealed the hit show will end after the fifth season.

“At the outset, I had imagined The Crown running for six seasons, but now that we have begun work on the stories for season five, 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.”

And that’s not the only news we learned about the series today. The show has also cast their final Queen Elizabeth: Imelda Staunton. Yep, the Harry Potter actress will succeed Claire Foy (seasons 1 and 2) and Olivia Colman (seasons 3 and 4) in the royal role.  

“I have loved watching The Crown from the very start,” Staunton said in a statement. “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 honored to be joining such an exceptional creative team and to be taking The Crown to its conclusion.”

Morgan also confirmed Staunton’s casting (which had been rumored for a number of months). “I’m absolutely thrilled to confirm Imelda Staunton as Her Majesty The Queen for the fifth and final season, taking ‘The Crown’ into the 21st Century,” he said. “Imelda is an astonishing talent and will be a fantastic successor to Claire Foy and Olivia Colman.”

According to Variety, production is underway for season four, which will see the introduction of Princess Diana (Emma Corrin), and Josh O’Connor will take on the role of Prince Charles.