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The Crown has finally dropped the trailer for season 5 ahead of its premiere on Netflix next month.
The new series will pick up in 1990 and follow the following turbulent years for the late Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family – including Charles and Diana’s split, Diana’s tragic death in a car crash in Paris, and the infamous Windsor Castle fire.
The hit show has welcomed in a new cast to represent the ageing characters; Imelda Staunton will be taking over from Oliva Colman as the late Queen, Jonathan Pryce will be portraying Prince Phillip, and and Lesley Manville will take on Princess Margaret.
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Despite the hype surrounding the new season, some commentators fear its portrayal of the recently-crowned King Charles lll could be detrimental to his public image thanks to the storylines it is set to cover, including his alleged affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, now Queen Camilla, and how it contributed to his marriage breakdown.
However, creators have repeatedly pointed out the show is dramatised and should be regarded as a work of fiction.
What was the Windsor Castle fire?
The Crown season 5 is set to cover the devastating events of the Windsor Castle fire which broke out on 20 November 1992 – coincidentally, the Queen and Prince Philip’s wedding anniversary.
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The fire started in the Queen's private chapel at around 11:15am when a spotlight ignited on a curtain, and wreaked devastation on the historic castle for 15 hours.
By 7pm that evening, the roof of St George’s Hall had collapsed. While the inferno was under control within the hour, several secondary fires continued to burn until the early morning.
A total of 115 rooms and nine state rooms were among the wreckage, with countless priceless artefacts and artworks rescued by palace staff.
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In the days following the tragic fire, thoughts soon turned to who would foot the bill for repairs, which eventually totalled £36.5M (£72M in today’s money).
This ultimately resulted in the Queen paying £2M of her own money towards the restoration and agreeing to pay income tax for the first time.
Around 70 percent of the total cost was funded by charging the public entry to the castle grounds, and to Buckingham Palace.
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The Queen would later admit: “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure.
“In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an annus horribilis.”
The Crown season 5 premieres on Netflix 9 November
Nikita Menzies