The Crown is about to undergo a changing of the guard.
Netflix is proceeding with seasons 3 and 4 and the hit series has opened its doors to an entirely new cast, including Olivia Colman and the supremely talented Helena Bonham Carter, among many others. It’s been a bittersweet transition, no doubt, as fans had fallen in love with The Crown‘s original cast – namely Claire Foy, Vanessa Kirby and former Doctor Who actor Matt Smith – but change isn’t always a bad thing and in the case of the critically acclaimed royal drama, new actors were required to play the parts given the time jump that’ll occur.
We’ve yet to see much of what Netflix will offer with season 3, of course, but the casting process seemingly isn’t over quite yet, as Deadline reports that Call the Midwife‘s Emerald Fennell has been tapped to portray Camilla Parker Bowles.
“I’m absolutely over the moon, and completely terrified, to be joining so many hugely talented people on The Crown,” said Fennell. “I absolutely love Camilla, and am very grateful that my teenage years have well prepared me for playing a chain-smoking serial snogger with a pudding bowl hair cut.”
From what we understand, 1963 will be when The Crown season 3 kicks off, meaning fans will soon be revisiting major events like England lifting the World Cup in ’66 and the blistering rise of the Beatles. Not only that, but producer Suzanne Mackie hinted a while back that viewers can expect to enter a brand new era, as we follow the journey of Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret through Buckingham Palace and beyond.
Expect the arrival of a new generation of characters, with Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Camilla. Season two depicted the late ’50s and early swinging ’60s, and with it introduced a whole new mood and atmosphere. Princess Margaret and Armstrong-Jones embody these sociopolitical changes.
Filming on The Crown season 3 is now well underway, as evidenced by all the recent set photos, and though Netflix has yet to announce a firm premiere date, we’ll be sure to let you know when they do.