Netflix's hit royal drama The Crown will show the British monarchy in crisis after the death of Princess Diana in its final season, a new trailer has revealed.
The dramatic two-minute trailer, released on Thursday, features a number of tense snapshots of events that will be covered in the first installment of the series finale, which lands on November 16.
The season, dramatizing the life of Queen Elizabeth II and her family between 1997 and 2005, will include highly anticipated episodes covering the tragic death of Princess Diana (played by Elizabeth Debicki) whose life ended with a high-speed car crash alongside boyfriend Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla) in Paris on August 31, 1997.
Overscored by a slowed-down cover of the 1982 synth-pop song "Mad World," the trailer shows Diana and Fayed as they are pursued by paparazzi and press in their final days.
"I don't really understand how I got here," Debicki narrates. "Dashing around and losing sight of myself in the process. You know I think that's been the story of my whole life."
Also shown in the trailer is Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II, who expresses concern about Diana, saying: "All one wants is for that girl to find peace."
In an exchange with Dominic West as Prince Charles, which is presumed to occur after Diana's death, when public anger has turned towards the monarchy, Elizabeth asks: "What do people want from me?"
"For you to be the mother to the nation," an angry Charles responds, adding in a voiceover: "You've seen the images on the television. Diana gave people what they needed, all over the world in their thousands and they adored her for it."
The trailer closes with the prince on the telephone following a brief clip of Diana's final moments before the car crash. "This is going to be the biggest thing that any of us have ever seen," he says mournfully.
One key scene included in the trailer depicts Queen Elizabeth apparently speaking to Diana's ghost, a dramatic device that has been the subject of debate leading up to the series' release.
In a brief clip, the queen tells her former daughter-in-law: "You've finally succeeded in turning this house upside down. It's nothing less than revolution."
"That was never my intention," the princess, dressed in black, responds.
The depiction of Diana as a ghost was criticized earlier this month, after a British tabloid columnist obtained footage of a scene in which Charles apparently holds an imagined conversation with his ex-wife on the private jet carrying her body back to Britain.
In a recent interview for Variety, series creator Peter Morgan discussed his decision to include the device of characters speaking to the princess after her death.
"I never imagined it as Diana's 'ghost' in the traditional sense," Morgan said. "It was her continuing to live vividly in the minds of those she has left behind. Diana was unique, and I suppose that's what inspired me to find a unique way of representing her. She deserved special treatment narratively."
The culmination of Diana's storyline in the show has long been the focus of debate, particularly as members of the royal family—including Diana's younger son, Prince Harry—have said they tune in.
Entertainment expert Mark Boardman previously told Newsweek that Diana's death raised "unique problems" for The Crown's creative team as public emotion surrounding the event is still high.
"For The Crown, distressing scenes are particularly difficult for filmmakers to portray, especially considering the sensitivity of Princess Diana's death," he said, adding: "Managing expectations of all sides is a no-win situation. For William and Harry, the re-telling of their mother's death will undoubtedly bring up old wounds."
A spokesperson for Netflix previously told Newsweek that though the events leading up to and after the crash will be covered in the show, the crash itself will not be shown.
Part one of the final season will comprise four episodes covering the events of 1997. The following six episodes will be released on December 14 and covering the monarchy's transition into the 21st century, including the beginnings of the relationship between Prince William (Ed McVey) and Kate Middleton (Meg Bellamy).
Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles' 2005 marriage is also expected to be a focal point of the closing episode.
The Crown Season 6 will be released in two installments on November 16 and December 14 on Netflix.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Update 10/26/23, 12:05 p.m. ET: This article was updated to add the series trailer and extra photos.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
