The Crownhas found a new audience as the first season entersNetflix’s Top 10 after thedeathofQueen Elizabeth II.
Between Sept. 5 and 11, Netflix subscribers streamed 17.6 million hours ofThe Crown, bringing the historical drama’s first season to No. 7 on Netflix’s Top 10 English-language series chart, according toVariety.
Other thanThe Crown, the Top 10 list featuredCobra Kaiseason 5 (sitting at No. 1 with 106 million hours),Devil in Ohio(No. 2 with 70.8 million),The Imperfects(No. 3 with 24.1 million), Dated and Related season 1 (No.4 with 19.8 million),The Sandmanseason 1 (No. 5 with 19.6 million),Partner Track(No. 6 with 18.2 million),Stranger Thingsseason 4 (No. 8 with 16.6 million),Echoes:Limited Series(No. 9 with 14.3 million) andManifestseason 1 (No. 10 with 12.4 million), perVariety.
The Crowndebuted on Netflix in 2016. Based on historical events, the series dramatizes the life story ofQueen ElizabethII, and the political and personal events that have shaped her reign, per Netflix’ssynopsis.
The first season depicts the early life events of the British monarch up until 1955, including her marriage toPrince Philipand becoming the Queen upon her father’s death.
Claire Foy in The Crown.Robert Viglasky/Netflix
Claire Foyplayed the role of the Queen in the first two seasons of the series,earning an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama seriesafter season 2 in 2018. She also won the Emmy for outstanding guest actress in a drama series in 2021 when she returned to the show for a cameo in the fourth season.
Olivia Colmanlater assumed the role for season 3 and 4, portraying a middle-agedQueen Elizabeth. Like Foy, she wasawarded an Emmy in the outstanding lead actress in a drama series categoryin 2021 for season 4 of the show.
Verity Russell has also portrayed a younger version of the monarch, playing the role of Princess Elizabeth in childhood flashbacks for season 1 and 3.Imelda Stauntonis the latest to portray Her Majesty in the show’s fifth and sixth season.
Though Netflix previously announced the series would end after season 5, the streaming service later confirmed in July 2020 that the serieswould end after season 6due to creator Peter Morganchanging his mind.
While the cast and crew were filming season 6, Buckingham Palace announced thatQueen Elizabethdied “peacefully” in her Scottish home of Balmoral Castle at age 96 on Thursday.
As a result, Morgan toldDeadlinethey would “stop filming out of respect” for the late monarch, even though the final season of the show wasnot expected to dramatize present-day events.
“The Crownis a love letter to [the Queen] and I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect,” Morgan wrote in a statement that day. “I expect we will stop filming out of respect too.” (Varietylater confirmed on Friday that season 6 production had halted.)
Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II.Netflix
Director Stephen Daldry previously told Deadline the series has long had plans in place in the event of the historic monarch’s death.
“None of us know when that time will come but it would be right and proper to show respect to the Queen. It would be a simple tribute and a mark of respect. She’s a global figure and it’s what we should do,” he said after theEmmy-winning Netflix dramamade its debut in 2016.
Netflix did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment at the time about the immediate future of the series, including whether it will move forward with an anticipated fall premiere for season 5.
Imelda Staunton in The Crown.SplashNews.com
Queen Elizabethwas the longest-reigning monarch in Britain’s history after she assumed the title of Queen in 1952.
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The Queen’s coffin will process through London on Wednesday to the Palace of Westminster, where it will lie in state at Westminster Hall as visitors pay their respects until the funeral, which will be held at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
source: people.com
