Netflix has reportedly finalized a deal to begin production on a prequel to its acclaimed series The Crown, according to sources [1]. Talks between Netflix and Left Bank Pictures began in 2022, prior to The Crown's final season release in late 2023 [1].
The series will explore the British royal family starting from Queen Victoria's death in 1901 through to the early timeline of The Crown, focusing in particular on key events leading up to Princess Elizabeth's marriage to Philip Mountbatten [1]. The creator of The Crown, Peter Morgan, is set to helm the project [1]. Morgan has said, "If you go back in time, you always have that wonderful opportunity for metaphor," adding that "I might find some way of coming into it from a different way" [1].
Reports indicate a production budget of £500 million ($681 million) has been allocated [1]. However, Netflix has not officially confirmed the story or production at this time [1].
The talks initiating this project started in 2022, and the previous final season of The Crown aired late in 2023 [1]. The new series is expected to fill the historical gap from Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 to the early 20th-century events shaping Elizabeth’s life and marriage [1].
No official release date or further production details have yet been announced.