Popular Netflix series The Crown has paused filming after the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral on Thursday. The series is currently filming its fifth chapter, and had already been extended to include a sixth.
It tells the story of the Royal Family, starting just before the moment a young princess became Queen Elizabeth after the death of her father, King George VI. Peter Morgan, writer of The Crown, said the series is “a love letter to her.” He told Deadline: “The Crown is a love letter to her and I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect. I expect we will stop filming out of respect too.”
Stephen Daldry, director of some of the episodes of the first season of The Crown, said during production that there would be a pause if The Queen died while filming was ongoing. He told Deadline in 2016: “None of us know when that time will come but it would be right and proper to show respect to the Queen. It would be a simple tribute and a mark of respect. She’s a global figure and it’s what we should do.
”She’s an extraordinary woman and people will be upset.
Claire Foy was the first to portray the Queen on the popular Netflix series The Crown, which saw Morgan as the main scriptwriter. She made her debut in the role in 2016 for the show’s first season and reprised it for the second with Matt Smith playing the late Prince Philip.
Foy received a string of awards for her portrayal including an Emmy and Golden Globe as well as two Bafta nominations. Olivia Colman took over the role for the third and fourth seasons of the royal period drama series.
She was also awarded an Emmy and Golden Globe for her portrayal of the middle-aged years of the Queen’s life. Imelda Staunton was the third actress cast to portray the Queen in the lavish TV series.
The actress will play the monarch reigning into the 21st Century in the upcoming fifth series, which was due to return to screens in November. The Crown was due to end after its fifth series, but Morgan later said it will be extended to include a sixth series.
Netflix has reportedly cast the roles of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the upcoming sixth series of The Crown. Two actors, Rufus Kampa, 16, and Ed McVey, 21, will play William, while Meg Bellamy will take on the role of Kate Middleton, according to various US media outlets.
Imelda Staunton takes over the role of the Queen from Olivia Colman, while Jonathan Pryce replaces Tobias Menzies as the Duke of Edinburgh and Lesley Manville will be Princess Margaret, following in the footsteps of Helena Bonham Carter. It will see Dominic West star as Charles and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Wire star West takes over the role of Charles from Josh O’Connor, while The Night Manager actress Debicki replaces Emma Corrin. It was previously revealed that series five of the show would delve into the Diana’s now infamous Panorama interview with journalist Martin Bashir.
