Netflix just dropped the official trailer for Part 1 of The Crown’s sixth season, and we’re not exaggerating when we say these next few episodes are going to be royally devastating.
For those new to the series, The Crown is a historical drama that follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s into the early 21st century. Not to mention it provides some juicy insight into the day-to-day lives and romantic entanglements of the Royal Family.
The penultimate season will reenact the early relationship of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed, culminating in the tragic car accident that infamously took both of their lives.
"This is going to be the biggest thing that any of us have ever seen."
— Netflix (@netflix) October 26, 2023
The final season of The Crown begins November 16. pic.twitter.com/SggbIQyCdJ
Simultaneous to being pursued by Dodi, Diana navigates her first summer being divorced from Prince Charles. But it isn’t long before the luxury of yacht life wears off and the princess wishes to return to her children in Balmoral.
The newly-released trailer opens with Diana enjoying the solace of her coastal getaway, though constant invasions of privacy from paparazzi begin to get in the way of her vacation — and her personal life. At one point in the trailer, a newspaper briefly flashes on screen with a headline exposing that Dodi is courting Diana, along with a scandalous picture of the two.
“Don’t really understand how I ended up here,” Debicki narrates as Diana in a somber voiceover. “Dashing around and losing sight of myself in the process. I think that’s been the story of my whole life.”
About halfway through the trailer, Diana receives a fateful letter, presumably from Dodi, coaxing her to meet him in Paris — which, as viewers know, is where Diana died on August 31, 1997.
What follows is a frenzy of images, featuring an outpouring of public grief and oversaturated media coverage. But despite British nationalism being at an all-time high, Dodi’s father finds himself continually rejected by the Royal Family in his attempts to connect through shared grief.
The trailer debut comes less than a month after the release of a 51-second teaser for the upcoming season on the official X account for The Crown.
"It is not a choice. It is a duty."
— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) October 9, 2023
Part 1: 16 November
Part 2: 14 December pic.twitter.com/WkNVSuyEDX
Actors Elizabeth Debicki and Khalid Abdalla will return to the series to star as Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed. Other returning actors include Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Dominic West, Claudia Harrison, Olivia Williams, Bertie Carvel and Salim Daw.
New actors to the series include Rufus Kampa and Ed McVey, who will play Prince William in Parts 1 and 2, respectively. Fflyn Edwards and Luther Ford will play Prince Harry in Parts 1 and 2, respectively, and Meg Bellamy will join the cast as Kate Middleton for Part 2.
To coincide with the debut of the trailer, Netflix also released new artwork for Season 6 Part 1. The latest promotional image is a stunning side portrait of Debicki portraying Diana.
Since the series hit Netflix in 2016, The Crown has received 21 Emmys and 4 Golden Globes. The series’ fifth season also has six nominations in this year’s Emmy race.
All four episodes of The Crown Season 6 Part 1 will be available for streaming on Nov. 16. The season’s remaining six episodes will be included in Part 2, which arrives on Netflix Dec. 14.
Want to read more about The Crown? Check out how The Crown Teases Diana and Dodi’s Storyline with the release of stills from the upcoming episodes, or find out more about the royal wedding that’s getting screentime this season.
Katie Reul is a freelance writer at iGN.
