In “The Crown” season five, released on Netflix on Nov. 9, Elizabeth Debicki takes on the role of Princess Diana. She’s the fourth person to portray “The People’s Princess” in recent years, after Kristen Stewart in 2021’s “Spencer,” Jeanna de Waal in Broadway’s “Diana” musical, and Emma Corrin in the fourth season of “The Crown,” released in 2020. Debicki’s turn as Diana comes months after the 25th anniversary of the princess’s death.
Debicki worked hard to master Diana’s mannerisms and voice. The show’s costume department re-created some of her most iconic looks for season five and even remixed clothes she was photographed in, also imagining outfits she might have worn during private moments.
The first episode of the season starts in 1991, with Diana, Prince Charles (Dominic West), Prince William (Senan West), and Prince Harry (Will Powell) going on a vacation in Italy, marketed to the press as a “second honeymoon.” But Diana and Charles don’t get along, with William stuck in the middle. The season ends in 1997, with the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong and the rise of Tony Blair (Bertie Carvel) as prime minister.
Diana died on Aug. 31, 1997, but viewers will have to wait for “The Crown”‘s sixth and final season to see how it reenacts the tragic event. Ahead, see side-by-sides of how Debicki’s Diana compares to how Diana appeared in real life.