The wait is almost over, lovers of The Crown who have been anticipating its debut with bated breath ever since the news of actor Humayun Saeed’s casting as Dr. Hasnat in the Netflix series broke! Make a note of the date because, as the streaming service announced on Saturday, the fifth season of the historical drama series about Queen Elizabeth II and her extended family will premiere on November 9.
The official Twitter account for the royal drama said that the series would premiere in early November, two months after the Queen’s passing. It’s thought that the fifth instalment will follow the family through the 1990s.
— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) September 24, 2022
By uploading the same on his Instagram, Saeed furthered revealed his involvement in The Crown.
Advertisement
AdvertisementView this post on InstagramAdvertisementAdvertisement
The upcoming season will see Imelda Staunton take over from Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II while Jonathan Pryce will play her husband, Prince Philip. Meanwhile Dominic West will play Prince Charles (now King Charles III), Elizabeth Debicki will portray Princess Diana, Lesley Manville joins as the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, and Jonny Lee Miller stars as Prime Minister John Major.
Although the makers of the dramatised royal drama have remained as tight-lipped as ever regarding which real-life events they plan to bring to the screen, the extended casting has given major clues to ponder over.
Saeed will join the ensemble cast as Dr. Hasnat Khan, a British-Pakistani heart surgeon with whom Diana had a secret connection for two years. It is therefore anticipated that their love affair would be depicted on film in the future season. According to reports, Khan was referred to as “Mr Wonderful” by the “People’s Princess,” who also paid a visit to his family in Lahore in May 1996. According to reports, Diana’s acquaintances referred to Hasnat as the “love of her life” and talked about how upset she was when he broke things off with her in June 1997. Dr. Hasnat also came to Diana’s funeral service.
In addition, Salim Daw has been recruited as millionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed, while Amir El-Masry has been cast as a younger version of Al-Fayed, indicating that the audience will see some flashback scenes. Khalid Abdalla will portray Dodi Al-Fayed, who sadly perished in the same Parisian vehicle accident in 1997 that claimed Princess Diana’s life. At the time, they were romantically involved.
Although the casting suggests that Season 5 will focus on the time leading up to and including Diana’s passing, the 1990s were a difficult decade for the royal family and a variety of topics, including Princess Anne’s divorce, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew’s split from their wives, and the devastating fire that destroyed Windsor Castle, could be covered.
The longest-reigning British monarch’s death earlier this month has rekindled interest in the series, which was already well-liked by viewers. 22 Emmy Awards have been given to The Crown, including the best drama series prize and the top drama actor awards for Foy and Colman. Josh O’Connor, who portrayed Prince Charles in 13 episodes as a young man, also took home the award for best drama actor.