Summary

• The Crown season 6, part 1 heavily focuses on Princess Diana and the final months leading up to her car crash, offering an accurate portrayal of how the British monarchy was perceived in the late '90s.
• Imelda Staunton brings Queen Elizabeth II's authority and calculated demeanor to the screen well, capturing her tempered voice, gravitas, and mannerisms.
• Elizabeth Debicki's portrayal of Princess Diana in The Crown season 6 is highly acclaimed, as she is able to lose herself completely in the role.

Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and the final months leading up to her car crash.

The Crown's timeline spans over six decades, chronicling the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Throughout its six seasons, Queen Elizabeth II serves as the central focus, with most of the action taking place around her. The Crown season 6, part 1 shifts that dynamic, focusing on Princess Diana instead, with the cast delivering an accurate portrayal of how the British monarchy was perceived in the late '90s.

Imelda Staunton As Queen Elizabeth II

Staunton Follows Queen Elizabeth In Her 70s

Imelda Staunton is one of the three similarities between Staunton and Queen Elizabeth II include their tempered voices, gravitas, and mannerisms. Staunton brings the queen's authority and calculated demeanor to the screen well.

Prior to her role as Queen Elizabeth II, Staunton was known for her portrayal of the villainous Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter movies. Another notable role was as the titular character in 2004's Vera Drake, which earned her an Academy Award nomination. Staunton also appeared in both Downton Abbey movies as Maud Bagshaw.

Elizabeth Debicki As Princess Diana

The People's Princess

Elizabeth Debicki takes on a role that comes with a lot of pressure in The Crown seasons 5 and 6: Princess Dianna, also dubbed "the people's princess." Princess Diana is Prince Charles' ex-wife and the mother to Prince William and Prince Harry. Debicki follows Emma Corrin, who portrayed a younger version of Princess Diana in earlier seasons of The Crown. There are many actors who have tried to tackle Diana over the years, and Debicki has had a lot of success with her version, receiving numerous awards nominations for her portrayal.

Debicki nails the role of Princess Diana because she's able to lose herself completely in the role — and that's not to mention her uncanny resemblance to the real princess. The actor manages to capture Diana's personal and private life, and she pulls off all her iconic outfits, including the famous "revenge dress." Her accuracy comes from extensive research. Since Princess Diana was a very public person, Debicki had a lot of material to work with. The actor also starred in 2018's Widows, the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and 2015's The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Dominic West As Prince Charles

Queen Elizabeth's Firstborn Son

Dominic West reprises his role as Prince Charles in The Crown season 6 after being cast in the drama in season 5. When it comes to Queen Elizabeth's firstborn son, West manages a pitch-perfect portrayal of Charles, capturing his voice, mannerisms, ambitions, and desires. In season 6, West portrays Charles a year after his divorce from Diana, showing how he tries to move on and establish a relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Although West doesn't resemble the real Charles — Vogue dubbed him "too hot" to play him — the actor truly delivers.

Prior to playing Charles, West portrayed a vast number of other characters. He's best known for his roles in television series like The Wire, The Affair, and The Pursuit of Love. As for his movie credits, he appeared in 2002's Chicago, 2018's Tomb Raider, and reunited with Staunton in 2022's Downton Abbey: A New Era.

Jonathan Pryce As Prince Philip

The Third And Final Actor For The Duke Of Edinburgh

Jonathan Pryce returns as Prince Philip in The Crown season 6, portraying Her Majesty's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at age 76. Pryce is the third actor to take on the role in The Crown, following Matt Smith and Tobias Menzies. In the first part of season 6, he's mostly in the background, ing the queen in her decisions surrounding Princess Diana's public persona and her subsequent death. Compared to previous actors, Pryce portrays a much calmer, more reserved version of Prince Philip.

Outside The Crown, Pryce appeared in the James Bond franchise as villain Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies. Pryce also costarred with Madonna in Evita, and his 2019 Netflix film, The Two Popes, earned him an Academy Awards nomination. He was also in Game of Thrones, playing the High Sparrow.

Khalid Abdalla As Dodi Fayed

Abdalla Reprises His Season 5 Role

Khalid Abdalla returns in The Crown season 6, part 1 with his portrayal of Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana's last boyfriend. Fayed, son of billionaire Mohammed Al Fayed, was a film producer who famously dated Princess Diana during her final months. The two were together in Paris, and Fayed tragically died in the same car crash as her. In addition to his role in The Crown, Abdalla also starred in The Kite Runner and Hanna.

Rufus Kampa/Ed McVey As Prince William

There Are 2 Actors Portraying Prince William In Season 6

Rufus Kampa takes on the role of the teenage Prince William in The Crown season 6, part 1, making him one of several actors to portray the prince. Prince William is Prince Charles and Princess Diana's son, and he is the first in line to the throne in the British line of succession, after Prince Charles. The Crown was Kampa's first acting credit.

The Crown season 6, part 2 introduces an older Prince William, and Ed McVey will take on the role of the prince as he attends St. Andrew's University, where he meets his future wife and queen consort, Kate Middleton (who will be played by Meg Bellamy in the second part of The Crown's season 6). Similar to the previous actor portraying William, McVey's first acting credit is also on the Netflix drama series, as well as Bellamy's.

Fflyn Edwards/Luther Ford As Prince Harry

Prince Harry receives the same casting treatment as his older brother, Prince William. The Crown season 6, part 1 introduces Fflyn Edwards as a younger Prince Harry, who is Prince Charles and Princess Diana's second child. Prior to the Netflix show, Edwards starred in Shadow & Bone and 1899.

The second half of The Crown's final season will see Luther Ford playing an older version of Prince Harry. The Crown is Ford's first acting credit. The actor said he attended an open casting call "on a bit of whim" (via Hero Magazine).

ing Cast And Characters

Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret: Lesley Manville reprises her season 5 role as Princess Margaret. She's the third person to take on the role in Peter Morgan's drama, following Vanessa Kirby and Helena Bonham Carter. Princess Margaret is Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister. Season 6 put her in the background, especially in the first part, where her most significant act was attending Camilla's birthday party to Charles. Manville starred in Ordinary Love, Let Him Go, and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, and she received an Oscar nomination for her role in 2017's Phantom Thread.

Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker-Bowles: Olivia Williams takes on the role of Camilla Parker Bowles in the final two seasons of The Crown, covering Camilla and Prince Charles' affair and their relationship after Charles' divorce from Diana. Williams rocks Camilla's signature bob on the series, and manages a spot-on performance of Prince Charles' current wife. Her acting credits also include Rushmore, The Sixth Sense, The Father, and The Ghost Writer.

Salim Daw as Mohamed Al Fayed: Mohamed Al-Fayed was an Egyptian businessman, who owned the Hôtel Ritz Paris, Harrods department store, and Fulham Football Club. He was Dodi's father. On the show, his desire to be recognized as an aristocrat makes him push Dodi to start a relationship with Diana. In The Crown, Salim Daw takes on the role. Daw's other acting credits include Gaza mon amour, Oslo, and Fauda.

Bertie Carvel as Tony Blair: Bertie Carvel takes on the UK's Prime Minister Tony Blair, and he makes his debut in The Crown season 5's final episode. He reprises his role in season 6. Carvel is also the only actor in The Crown who played two different roles, as he previously appeared in season 2 as journalist Robin Day. His other roles include 2021's The Tragedy of Macbeth, Dalgliesh, and Doctor Foster: A Woman Scorned.

Erin Richards as Kelly Fisher: The real Kelly Fisher was Dodi Fayed's fiancée. She's introduced in season 5's finale, played by Erin Richards. In the series, the two are still dating when Dodi starts seeing Diana. The real Fisher accused Fayed of dumping her via phone call the same day their relationship was reported to the press (via GoodTo.com). Richards, who portrays her on the show, also starred in Gotham, The Quiet Ones, and Breaking In.

The Crown season 6, part 1 is streaming on Netflix. Part 2 premieres on December 14.

Source: Vogue, Hero, GoodTo.com