The Crown season 3 is set to come back this year, with Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies taking over as the new Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh when it returns to Netflix. Now, here are some of the latest news and updates about the royal drama series, including the release date, cast, and what to expect.
The third season might air at some point in 2019, though Netflix has not yet announced the exact release date. The first season was released in November 2016, while season in December 2017, so it's possible The Crown season 3 might premiere around that same time.
Meanwhile, it was announced back in October that Broadchurch and The Favourite star Colman would be playing the role of the Queen in The Crown season 3. In March 2018, Menzies was also confirmed to be joining the series as the new as Prince Philip.
Other new faces joining The Crown include Emerald Fennell as a young Camilla Parker Bowles, Josh O'Connor as a young Princes Charles, and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret. Additionally, Sex Education star Gillian Anderson will be joining the next season; she'll be playing the role of Margaret Thatcher. Game of Thrones actor Charles Dance is also said to be joining the series, though his role hasn't been revealed. But, some believed he might be playing the role of Prince Charles' favorite great-uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten.
With Claire Foy and Matt Smith now gone in The Crown, the upcoming season will be moving into a new era. The third and fourth season will reportedly span the years 1964-76, as the previous seasons focused on the early years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, from 1947-63, RadioTimes reported.
Show-runner Peter Morgan isn't giving away anything yet, but if ever season 3 will indeed take us from '64-'70, viewers can expect to see the Queen's steadiest relationship with a Prime Minister, who served as head of the British government during this period.
Meanwhile, Menzies revealed the upcoming season might have an episode regarding the Apollo 11 moon landing and the reaction of Prince Philip with this momentous event in history. He revealed they've been shooting an interesting episode tied into the moon landings in '69, wherein the Prince got very absorbed by the heroism of these men compared to what he hasn't done in his own life.
Producer Suzanne Mackie also revealed The Crown season 3 will see the introduction of Camilla Parker-Bowles - Prince Charles second wife. The upcoming season will also cover the birth of Prince Edward (March 1964), the decolonization of Africa and the Caribbean, as well as Prince Charles' coronation as the Prince of Wales in 1969.
