See How the Cast of 'The Crown' Compares to the Real-Life Royals

Alexandra Hurtado

Thu, November 16, 2023 at 1:11 PM UTC

4 min read

When it comes to casting, The Crown takes well, the crown. Unlike most shows that hold on to their lead actors, Peter Morgan's hit Netflix series, which won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series in 2018 and 2021, has recast its stars not once but several times over the course of its six-season run.

"Not only are we casting real-life characters, but as we get closer to the present day, many of these people are very much alive," The Crown 's casting director Nina Goldtold Vanity Fair in 2018. "So we have to honor them by picking the right actor to play them—while making a link between the actors who played these characters in the first seasons."

The critically acclaimed series most recently changed up its cast in Season 5, replacing (among others) Olivia Colman, who won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, with Imelda Staunton, and Emma Corrin, who won an Emmy for her turn as Princess Diana, with Elizabeth Debicki . Both actresses have reprised their roles for Season 6, which premiered its first four episodes on Nov. 16.

Scroll down to see how the cast of The Crown compares to the real royals they play.

<p>Anwar Hussein/Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Imelda Staunton</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p> — Anwar Hussein/Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Imelda Staunton**in Seasons 5 and 6.

<p>Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Dominic West</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p> — Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Dominic West**in Seasons 5 and 6.

<p>Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Elizabeth Debicki</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p><p><strong>Related: <a href= — Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Elizabeth Debicki**in Seasons 5 and 6.

**Related:** **How Did Princess Diana Die? The Truth About the Heartbreaking Crash That Took the Life of the People's Princess**

<p>Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Netflix.</p><p>Played by <strong>Lesley Manville</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p> — Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Netflix.

Played by **Lesley Manville**in Seasons 5 and 6.

<p>Martin Keene/PA Images via Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Olivia Williams</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p> — Martin Keene/PA Images via Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Olivia Williams**in Seasons 5 and 6.

<p>Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Jonathan Pryce</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p> — Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Jonathan Pryce**in Seasons 5 and 6.

<p>Photo by Jeff Overs/BBC News & Current Affairs via Getty Images; Netflix / LeftBank</p><p>Played by <strong>Bertie Carvel</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p> — Photo by Jeff Overs/BBC News & Current Affairs via Getty Images; Netflix / LeftBank

Played by **Bertie Carvel**in Seasons 5 and 6.

<p>Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images; Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Khalid Abdalla</strong> in Season 5 and 6.</p> — Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images; Netflix

Played by **Khalid Abdalla**in Season 5 and 6.

<p>Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Keith Bernstein/Netflix</p><p>Prince William at the time of his mother's death is played by <strong>Rufus Kampa </strong>Season 6, Part 1.</p> — Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Keith Bernstein/Netflix

Prince William at the time of his mother's death is played by **Rufus Kampa**Season 6, Part 1.

<p>Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Keith Bernstein/Netflix</p><p>Prince Harry at the time of his mother's death is played by <strong>Fflyn Edwards </strong>in Season 6, Part 1.</p> — Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Keith Bernstein/Netflix

Prince Harry at the time of his mother's death is played by **Fflyn Edwards**in Season 6, Part 1.

<p>Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Justin Downing</p><p>Prince William in his college years is played by <strong>Ed McVey</strong> in Season 6, Part 2.</p> — Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Justin Downing

Prince William in his college years is played by **Ed McVey**in Season 6, Part 2.

<p>Photo by Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images; Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images</p><p>Prince Harry in the years after his mother's deat is played by <strong>Luther Ford </strong>in Season 6, Part 2. (Ford is shown here out of character.)</p> — Photo by Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images; Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images

Prince Harry in the years after his mother's deat is played by **Luther Ford**in Season 6, Part 2. (Ford is shown here out of character.)

<p>Played by <strong>Meg Bellamy</strong> in Season 6, Part 2.</p> — Played by **Meg Bellamy**in Season 6, Part 2.

<p>Tom Wargacki/WireImage / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Senan West</strong> in Season 5</p> — Tom Wargacki/WireImage / Netflix

Played by **Senan West**in Season 5

<p>Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Will Powell</strong> in Season 5.</p> — Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Will Powell**in Season 5.

<p>Chris Jackson/Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Natascha McElhone</strong> in Season 5.</p> — Chris Jackson/Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Natascha McElhone**in Season 5.

<p>Tom Stoddart Archive/Getty Images / Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Jonny Lee Miller</strong> in Season 5.</p> — Tom Stoddart Archive/Getty Images / Netflix

Played by **Jonny Lee Miller**in Season 5.

<p>Played by <strong>Olivia Colman</strong> in Seasons 3 and 4.</p> — Played by **Olivia Colman**in Seasons 3 and 4.

<p>Played by<strong> Claire Foy</strong> in Seasons 1 and 2.</p> — Played by **Claire Foy**in Seasons 1 and 2.

<p>Played by <strong>Tobias Menzies</strong> in Seasons 3 and 4.</p> — Played by **Tobias Menzies**in Seasons 3 and 4.

<p>Played by <strong>Matt Smith</strong> in Seasons 1 and 2.</p> — Played by **Matt Smith**in Seasons 1 and 2.

<p>Played by <strong>Emma Corrin</strong> in Season 4.</p> — Played by **Emma Corrin**in Season 4.

<p>Played by <strong>Josh O'Connor</strong> in Seasons 3 and 4.</p> — Played by **Josh O'Connor**in Seasons 3 and 4.

<p>Played by <strong>Julian Baring</strong> in Season 2.</p> — Played by **Julian Baring**in Season 2.

<p>Played by <strong>Erin Doherty</strong> in Seasons 3 and 4.</p> — Played by **Erin Doherty**in Seasons 3 and 4.

<p>Played by <strong>Emerald Fennell</strong> in Seasons 3 and 4.</p> — Played by **Emerald Fennell**in Seasons 3 and 4.

<p>Played by <strong>Helena Bonham Carter</strong> in Seasons 3 and 4.</p> — Played by **Helena Bonham Carter**in Seasons 3 and 4.

<p>Played by <strong>Vanessa Kirby</strong> in Seasons 1 and 2.</p> — Played by **Vanessa Kirby**in Seasons 1 and 2.

<p>Played by <strong>Marion Bailey</strong> in Seasons 3 and 4.</p> — Played by **Marion Bailey**in Seasons 3 and 4.

<p>Played by <strong>Victoria Hamilton</strong> in Seasons 1 and 2.</p> — Played by **Victoria Hamilton**in Seasons 1 and 2.

<p>Played by <strong>Jared Harris</strong> in Seasons 1 and 2.</p> — Played by **Jared Harris**in Seasons 1 and 2.

<p>Played by <strong>Derek Jacobi</strong> and <strong>Geraldine Chaplin</strong> in Season 3.</p> — Played by **Derek Jacobi**and **Geraldine Chaplin**in Season 3.

<p>Played by <strong>Alex Jennings</strong> in Seasons 1 and 2.</p> — Played by **Alex Jennings**in Seasons 1 and 2.

<p>Played by<strong> Lia Williams</strong> in Seasons 1 and 2.</p> — Played by **Lia Williams**in Seasons 1 and 2.

<p>Played by<strong> Ben Daniels</strong> in Season 3.</p> — Played by **Ben Daniels**in Season 3.

<p>Played by<strong> Matthew Goode</strong> in Season 2.</p> — Played by **Matthew Goode**in Season 2.

<p>Played by <strong>Gillian Anderson</strong> in Season 4.</p> — Played by **Gillian Anderson**in Season 4.

<p>Played by <strong>John Lithgow</strong> in Seasons 1, 2 and 3.</p> — Played by **John Lithgow**in Seasons 1, 2 and 3.

<p>Photo credit should read SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty Images; Netflix</p><p>Played by <strong>Salim Daw</strong> in Seasons 5 and 6.</p> — Photo credit should read SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty Images; Netflix

Played by **Salim Daw**in Seasons 5 and 6.

Next, How to Watch 'The Crown' Season 6

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