The Crown Producers Tease Princess Diana Death, William & Kate Love Story Ahead On Season 6

Season 6 of Netflix's "The Crown" is being greeted with cheers and tears alike. The cheers are from fans who have been eagerly waiting for the next installment of the award-winning series on the British royals; the tears are from the same fans who know this will definitely be the final chapter. Creator/showrunner Peter Morgan had previously announced Season 5 "seemed like the perfect time and place to stop," per The Hollywood Reporter, but he later changed his mind. Extending for one more season would "do justice to the richness and complexity of the story," Morgan said in a Netflix statement.

What rich, complex details can we expect to see in the new season? The creators offered some hints during the Edinburgh TV Festival on Aug. 24, 2023. For one, the episodes will include the 1997 death of Princess Diana in a car crash. Executive producer Suzanne Mackie promised the tragedy would be handled in a "sensitive and thoughtful" manner, according to The Mirror. Mackie added that Elizabeth Debicki, who took over the role of Diana from Emma Corrin in Season 5, was also concerned the princess and the events surrounding her death would be depicted respectfully. Not revealed yet is whether the show will cover Queen Elizabeth's controversial decision to remain in Balmoral for five days rather than returning immediately to London to address the grieving public. Still, it can be assumed the storyline will address the effect the tragedy had on Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

Just as earlier seasons of "The Crown" included details of then-Prince Charles' love life, Season 6 will follow the romance involving the next heir to the throne. At the Edinburgh TV Festival, the show's creators revealed images of Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy as Prince William and Catherine Middleton as college students at the University of St Andrews, some years before they became Prince and Princess of Wales. There's one episode the couple may want to hide from their three children: "The Crown" will recreate the huge fashion risk Kate Middleton made when she appeared at a charity fashion show modeling a sheer Charlotte Todd dress that left little to the imagination. It's been reported this was the moment William began to think of his classmate as more than just a good friend, and perhaps the show will make that connection as well.

The series finale is said to take place in the early 2000s. The creators were mum about details, but given the timing, a storyline involving Charles' 2005 wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles might not be out of the question. Producer Andy Harries told the audience (via The Mirror) that the script of the final episode had to be tweaked somewhat following the death of Queen Elizabeth. "When you see it, you will know what I mean," he hinted. Then fans can start hoping a sequel series featuring William and Harry will be announced before long. Could there be a "The Crown: The Next Generation"?