Netflix is reportedly working on a prequel to its highly acclaimed series The Crown, which will explore the period from Queen Victoria’s death up to Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding. While this development may seem exciting, there are concerns about whether it will succeed.
Peter Morgan, the creator of The Crown, has long hinted at the idea of a prequel, making it somewhat expected that Netflix would eventually move forward with the project. The new spin-off will cover the first half of the 20th century, focusing on the reigns of Edward VII (1901–1910), George V (1910–1936), Edward VIII (1936), and George VI (1936–1952). A TV insider revealed that Netflix has been in negotiations for some time and has recently finalized a deal worth around £500 million.
This new series is following in the footsteps of a television giant. In 2020, it was reported that 73 million households worldwide had watched The Crown since its debut. The historical drama earned 24 Emmys over its six-season run, which began in 2016 and concluded in 2023. It has become the definitive guide to the modern royal family.
As someone who has watched every episode of The Crown, I find myself skeptical about the prequel idea. There are already several iconic shows set in the early 20th century that explore aristocracy and class dynamics, such as Downton Abbey and Peaky Blinders. This era, which includes both World Wars, is well-covered in media, and I worry about audience fatigue.
Moreover, one of the most significant events in this period was King Edward VIII’s abdication, which was already explored in The Crown. Although not a play-by-play account, the show used flashbacks and direct testimony from the exiled king to provide a comprehensive picture of the events.
What eras did The Crown cover?
Seasons one and two (1947 to 1964)
The first two seasons were helmed by Claire Foy and started with her marriage to Prince Philip (portrayed by Matt Smith). It covered her father’s death and her coronation, her sister Princess Margaret’s illicit love affair with Peter Townsend, and the JFK assassination.Seasons three and four (1964 to 1990)
Olivia Colman took over the role for the next two seasons, as we saw Queen Elizabeth II navigate back-to-back Prime Ministers, including Thatcher, Prince Charles’ volatile marriage to Princess Diana, and Prince Philip’s passion for the moon landing.Seasons five and six (1990 to 2005)
Imelda Staunton donned the crown for the final two instalments that explored her relationship with her adult children, Princess Diana’s death, and Prince William meeting Kate Middleton.
What made The Crown so compelling was how recent it felt. It almost seemed daring to make such a substantial drama about characters who were still alive. The show made bold choices, such as an episode where we see Queen Elizabeth II dote on Prince Andrew, right when the modern-day Epstein scandal was breaking about him. We also saw the implosion of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage in the context of Prince Harry and Meghan’s ongoing troubles with the royal family.
The show’s cultural impact was heightened when Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, weeks before the fifth season landed. The stars aligned to make the show feel consistently timely and relevant in a way any prequel series would struggle to recreate.
Poll
Are you excited by the idea of a prequel series?
– Yes – very happy for more!
– No, I’m not a fan
– I’m skeptical but will give it a shot
Despite my scepticism, there is still potential, and I’ll certainly be giving it a go. The monarchy is currently in a precarious position, and I would be convinced by a prequel series that doesn’t hold back in unmasking the ugly truths about the institution. Granted, those early reigns of Edward VII and George V are seldom explored in pop culture, so there’s plenty of scope for unaired juicy storylines—especially given the politically volatile time it’s covering.
Fans, for the most part, have already been won over by the idea. On Reddit, editorwilling6143 wrote: “If this turns out to be as good as the first 2-3 seasons of The Crown, I’ll watch the hell out of it.” dothistangle shared, “This news made my day,” while front-newspaper87 commented, “This is awesome! A lot of plot to cover and most of it will be new to a lot of people!”
AlternativeBeing181 reflected, “This is exciting! The early seasons of The Crown were great at delving into history and politics, which I feel were sadly missing from the later seasons. This is going to cover some interesting historical territory.” ogjearbear said, “Starting when Queen Victoria dies instead of focusing on her reign has me foaming at the mouth for this,” while Nikolaj added, “Tbh that’s a really interesting period for the British monarchy, and one comparably talked about less.”
As for why Peter Morgan has chosen to wind the clock back, he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024 that he “cannot imagine any circumstances in which I’d want to go further into the present” but that he wasn’t “done with the subject.” He continued, “I might find some way of coming into it from a different way. If you go back in time, you always have that wonderful opportunity for metaphor. You can find a story in the past and tell that, and it [will] actually be a story about the present, but in camouflage. And that, I think, might be a more elegant way forward.”
It is understood that the prequel is currently being written, with casting expected to take place next year. The Crown is available to stream on Netflix now.
