A trailer for the new series of The Crown recalls how the infamous Panorama interview with Princess Diana sent shockwaves through the British royal family.
The fifth series of the royal drama, set to launch on November 9th, will take inspiration from the pressure put on the British monarchy during the divorce between Charles and Diana and in the lead up to the bombshell interview.
The newly released teaser clip shows Diana, portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki, and Charles, played by Dominic West, consulting the Queen.
A new era approaches.
THE CROWN returns November 9th. pic.twitter.com/dEk5yBzHvq— Netflix (@netflix) October 20, 2022
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Imelda Staunton, who has taken over the role of the Queen from Olivia Colman, can be later seen reminding Charles of his duty “as future king”.
As scenes show the increased media attention surrounding the relationship, a voiceover says: “The house of Windsor should be binding the nation together, setting an example of idealised family life.
“It’s a situation which can’t help but affect the stability of the country.”
The flourishing relationship between Charles and Camilla, played by Olivia Williams, is also reflected with the pair sharing intimate moments together.
As the spotlight intensifies on Diana, the character can be heard saying: “People will never understand how it’s been for me. I never stood a chance.”
The princess can be seen struggling emotionally and later wearing her “revenge dress” – a figure-hugging, low-cut, off-the-shoulder black silk gown.
Drama builds as former BBC journalist Martin Bashir, played by Prasanna Puwanarajah, says: “She opens her mouth and hand grenade come out. She wants to tear down the temple.”
Near the end, clips show her sitting down with Bashir for the controversial 1995 interview with her voiceover saying: “I won’t go quietly, I’ll battle to the end”.
The PA news agency understands the interview has not been recreated in full, and there were never any plans to do so.
Netflix previously said it had included the interview between Diana and Bashir within the series, given the pivotal part it played during the period, and that the series will reflect what is now known about how it was obtained.
Last year, a report by Lord Dyson concluded the BBC covered up “deceitful behaviour” by Bashir to secure the bombshell interview and led to a call from the Duke of Cambridge for it never to be aired again.
The BBC has previously issued an apology for the circumstances in which the interview was obtained and the £1.42 million of proceeds derived from sales of the coverage were donated to seven charities.
Netflix has faced recent criticism due to its depiction of the British royal family within the series, with Dame Judi Dench calling for a disclaimer to be added to each episode of show, saying the hit Netflix drama has begun to verge on “crude sensationalism”.
In a letter to The Times shared on Thursday, the screen and stage veteran said despite previous statements by the streaming giant that the show is a “fictionalised drama”, there is a risk that “a significant number of viewers” will take its events as historical truth.
While Sir John Major, played by Jonny Lee Miller in the series, is said to have described scenes which reportedly depict King Charles, then a prince, plotting to oust the queen, as “malicious nonsense”.
A spokeswoman for The Crown said: “The Crown has always been presented as a drama based on historical events.
“Series five is a fictional dramatisation, imagining what could have happened behind closed doors during a significant decade for the royal family – one that has already been scrutinised and well documented by journalists, biographers and historians.”
The sixth and final series of The Crown will not depict the Paris car crash that killed Diana in August 1997, contrary to media reports.
Instead, the series will show the lead-up to the fatal incident as well as its aftermath, but not the crash itself.
