The Crown season 5 has signed a new actor to play the role of Prince Charles after Josh O'Connor steps down as the Prince of Wales. Dominic West is reportedly taking over the role as the Netflix royal drama charts the 1990s to the new millennium in its next season.
Ahead of the launch of The Crown season 4 on Nov. 15, The Sun reported that West will play the role of an older Prince Charles. The fifth season will start filming in the middle of 2021.
Also in the cast are Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II and Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip. They will replace Emma Corrin, Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies, respectively.
These actors' last outing as the British royals will be unveiled after nearly two years of filming the fourth season. But the streamer has yet to reveal who will replace Emerald Fennell as Camilla Parker-Bowles for season 5.
Based on the timeline, The Crown season 5 will cover the final years of Princess Diana's life and her explosive television interview, where she told the world that her husband has been having an affair for years.
West's casting comes as the actor himself has been embroiled in an alleged affair with Cinderella star Lily James. The pair was reportedly seen on a date in Rome last Sunday but West has not yet divorced his wife, Catherine FitzGerald.
Meanwhile, O'Connor, who has played Prince Charles in The Crown since season 3, revealed that he knows little about the royal he's playing on the screen. He said that he didn't know much about the royal family because of his political leanings as a Republican. The British Republicans are widely known not to support the monarchy.
O'Connor said that he can't actually do a great impression of the Prince of Wales if asked to go up the stage. He deliberately avoided learning about the man behind the title because he believes that not knowing will bring his "own lived-in experience" to the iconic role.
The Crown season 4 will depict the most popular royal wedding in human history between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. O'Connor said that he sympathizes with the Prince of Wales because, in many ways, he cannot do the things he wants even as he will be king one day. O'Connor described Prince Charles as an awkward man who belongs in a family that has no ability to show emotions.
