As its November premiere date nears, the anticipation for The Crown season 4 continues to grow among viewers. Before its worldwide release on Netflix, the critically-acclaimed historical drama dropped a full-length trailer for the new installment. Hailed as the most explosive season yet, series four will see the arrivals of newcomers Emma Corrin and Gillian Anderson.
In the first half of the trailer, Anderson appears as Prime Minister Thatcher, chatting with Olivia Coleman’s Queen Elizabeth II. She tells her, “Your Majesty, I think we have enough respect for one another personally to ask ourselves some of the bigger questions, woman to woman.”
Thatcher’s assertive demeanor posits her as a force to be reckoned with, and Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies) disapproves this thought. Elizabeth then snaps back at him saying, “Perhaps that’s precisely what this country needs.”
The two women further clash over dissimilar views and beliefs, but Thatcher assures Elizabeth that she’s comfortable with making enemies.
Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) and Princess Diana’s (Emma Corrin) love story takes center stage at the second half of the trailer. Charles finds himself reminded of his obligation to the crown. “One day, dear boy, you shall be king. Your duty now is the choice of a woman the people will love as a princess, and in due course, as queen,” says Prince Philip.
We then get a glimpse of the future Princess Diana amidst the clamor from the media and the British people. Queen Mother (Marion Bailer) feels certain that Diana will eventually “bend” to the monarchy’s ways. If she doesn’t, “she’ll break,” Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham-Carter) predicts.
Toward the end, we see dramatic clips of fights between Diana and Charles, his affair with Camila Parker Bowles (Emerald Fennel), and Thatcher’s ultimate downfall.
What can we expect from The Crown Season 4?
The upcoming season will pick up from 1979 and cover the events of the royal family until 1990. During this time, Thatcher becomes the prime minister, marking the first time two women are leading the nation. The latest installment leaves a promising tense dynamic between these two figures.
In a statement previewing the upcoming season, creator Peter Morgans reflects on the relationship of the two world leaders. “It was a commonly held piece of wisdom that the Queen and Thatcher didn’t get on.”
“I think there was probably a lot of respect. But they also had many differences, it was really fun exploring their differences and their similarities. I also get a chance to explore them both as mothers. Writing Thatcher and the Queen as mothers was probably an angle that no one has explored before. It yielded one of my favorite episodes in the season.”
The cast also includes Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, Georgie Glen as Lady Fermoy, Tom Byrne as Prince Andrew, Angue Imrie as Prince Edward, Charles Dance as Lord Mountbatten, Stephen Boxer as Denis Thatcher, Rebecca Humphries as Carol Thatcher, and Freddie Fox as Mark Thatcher.
The Crown Season 4 premieres November 15 on Netflix.