It’s a photo seven years in the making!
On Monday, stars from all six seasons of The Crown gathered in London for the premiere of the final episodes.
Among those present for the photo op included Jonathan Pryce, Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, Gillian Anderson, Elizabeth Debicki, and newcomers Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy.
Also on the carpet for the shot was show creator Peter Morgan, who also served as writer for all 60 episodes of the groundbreaking drama inspired by the real-life British monarchy.
Notable absences include season 1 and season 2 alums Claire Foy, Matt Smith and Vanessa Kirby — the actors who played Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip and Princess Margaret — as well as season 3 and season 4 stars Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter for the same roles, respectively.
Emma Corrin — who played Princess Diana for season 4 — and the show’s current Princess Diana, Debicki, shared a special moment on the red carpet, embracing and laughing in celebration of the momentous occasion.
The event comes a week ahead of the final six episodes of the show dropping on Netflix on Dec. 14. The first four episodes of season 6 premiered on the streaming service on Nov. 16 and tackled the weeks leading up to the death of Princess Diana.
On Friday, Netflix released the first full trailer for the second part of the sixth and final season, which revealed the deep inner turmoil and psychological conflicts that threaten to tear the royal family apart.
As made clear from the opening shot of Queen Elizabeth II (Staunton) and her relatives posing for a group photo — and a young, disenchanted Prince William (Ed McVey) having to be reminded to smile and put on a fake happy face — this arc will be all about the English pressure of keeping calm and carrying on.
As Queen Elizabeth tearfully contemplates the life and woman she put aside decades ago to serve her country, it’s clear that the royal family’s move into the modern age and struggle against the tides of change will shape or break the people who are obligated to be in that world.
The tensions between Prince Charles (Dominic West) and his sons — William and Prince Harry (Luther Ford) — take center stage as well, and it’s clear that years of repressed generational trauma will continue their troubling cycle.
When told his boys will need him in the years to come more than ever before, a dubious Charles explains, “I’m afraid we don’t do fathers and sons very well in this family.”
Meanwhile, we also get a look at William’s early romance with Kate Middleton (Meg Bellamy).
The trailer’s most powerful thematic moments come after Queen Elizabeth is informed of a polling showing the British public’s growing resentment of the monarchy, with Her Highness expressing an interest in understanding why the people of her country feel this way.
“The Crown doesn’t ask existential questions of itself,” one of Queen Elizabeth’s advisors states.
“Perhaps it should,” she replies, cementing the idea of self-reflection and a battle against rooted traditions that has underpinned the series from the start.
Season 6, part 2 of The Crown debuts Dec. 14 on Netflix.
For more coverage of The Crown, check out the links below.
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