The Crown has been going strong on Netflix for several years now, and one thing that fans of the show have gotten used to is the cast undergoing a complete overhaul every couple of seasons as the series moves through the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Season 4 (which is still set for release this year) will see the drama introduce a character that audiences had been looking forward to since the beginning: Lady Diana Spencer. Now, we finally know that actress Elizabeth Debicki will take over the role in the final two seasons of the show.
Fans were plenty excited when it was announced that newcomer Emma Corrin would originate the role of Lady Diana on the hit royal drama. But, seeing as how Season 4 is expected to take viewers from the late 1970s through the early '80s, with Diana featuring even more prominently in the last two seasons as her fame and troubles with the royal family mount, the announcement was made via The Crown's official Twitter that she's now been re-cast with Elizabeth Debicki, whose profile has grown over the last several years.
Not only is Elizabeth Debicki a pretty good physical match for the woman who would become Princess Diana, but she's also racked up some impressive roles since her breakout part as Jordan Baker in 2013's The Great Gatsby. Since then, Debicki has lent her talents to The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the TV series The Night Manager with Tom Hiddleston, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, Vita & Virginia, Widows, and has a part in the upcoming time-bending blockbuster Tenet from Christopher Nolan. So, there's no doubt that she'll be able to portray Diana through what would become the toughest, and, eventually, most tragic time of her life.
By the time we meet Elizabeth Debicki's Diana (who will join several other newly cast actors), she will likely already be the mother to William and Harry, and beloved by many around the world for much more than her fashion sense. Diana wasn't known as the People's Princess for nothing, as she took her duty to the crown very seriously and championed many charities which worked to help youth, those with HIV/AIDS and people with mental illnesses. She was admired for the unconventional way she fulfilled these duties, while, unfortunately, dealing with a less than easy life with Prince Charles.
It's not unusual for a season of The Crown to deal with around a decade or so in the life of Queen Elizabeth, so we will likely see much of the marital strife that defined Diana's life in Seasons 5 and 6, along with it being entirely possible that the show will take Diana's story through her tragic death after a car crash in 1997. Debicki, for her part, seems pretty excited to play Diana during this tumultuous time, and said of her role:
Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many. It is my true privilege and honor to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one.
While Season 4 of The Crown doesn't have a set premiere date just yet, we do know that fans will have to suffer an extra long break between the upcoming season and the debut of Elizabeth Debicki's time as Diana in Season 5, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest. In the meantime, you can check out our guide to fall TV to see what you can watch in the coming weeks!
