At long last, The Crown returns for its much-anticipated third season next month, and ahead of its arrival, Netflix has released this new full-length trailer for the upcoming run which teases how things have changed for the royal family. And not just because they’re all played by new actors, led by Olivia Colman replacing Claire Foy.
Set to a cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changing,” the trailer gives us a flavor of where Queen Elizabeth II’s kingdom’s at and suffice it to say, season 3 will tackle a dark period for the country, as it suffers from financial recession and strikes and riots in the streets. “On days like today, ask yourself ‘in the time I’ve been on the throne, what have I actually achieved?'” says the beleaguered monarch on her Silver Jubilee. “This country was still great when I came to the throne. All that’s happened on my watch is that it’s fallen apart.”
As well as detailing England’s troubles, season 3 looks to dig even deeper into the interpersonal drama of the royals themselves than we’ve seen in previous years. The sibling rivalry between the Queen and Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter) will continue, with Margaret also facing hardships in her married life to Lord Snowden (Ben Daniels). Meanwhile, Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) will feel stifled by his family as he faces a romantic dilemma.
The revamped cast also includes Tobias Menzies as Prince Phillip, Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, Emerald Fennell as Camilla Parker-Bowles, Charles Dance as Lord Mountbatten and Jason Watkins as Harold Wilson. This season will cover the second half of the 60s and much of the 70s, while a fourth season is already filming, with Gillian Anderson brought on as Margaret Thatcher.
Staying in the present, though, The Crown season 3 hits Netflix on November 17th.