Six seasons. Three distinct generations of actors. One very expensive throne.
When Peter Morgan first pitched the idea of swapping out his entire lead lineup every two years, people thought he was losing it. It’s a huge gamble. Usually, when a show is a hit, you lock those actors in until they’re too old to walk, or at least until the contract disputes get too messy. But the The Crown TV show cast didn't follow the rules. By the time we hit the series finale in late 2023, we’d seen three different women wear the blue sash of Elizabeth II and three different men struggle with the “behind-the-scenes” role of Prince Philip.
Honestly, it’s kinda jarring the first time it happens. You spend twenty hours falling in love with Claire Foy’s wide-eyed, steel-spined version of a young Queen, and then suddenly—poof—it’s Olivia Colman. But that’s the magic of the show, isn't it? It treats time like a real character.
The Queen Trinity: Foy, Colman, and Staunton
The backbone of the show is the Queen. Period. If you don’t buy the woman in the hat, the whole thing falls apart.
Claire Foy (Seasons 1–2) gave us the "learning the ropes" version. She had this way of showing Elizabeth’s internal panic while her face remained a mask of duty. She covered the years 1947 to 1964. You’ve got the wedding, the sudden death of her father King George VI (played heartbreakingly well by Jared Harris), and the slow realization that being a monarch means murdering your own personality to serve the state.
Then came Olivia Colman (Seasons 3–4). This was the "middle-aged stoicism" era. Covering 1964 to 1990, Colman had to handle the heavy stuff—the Aberfan disaster, the arrival of Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson), and the total collapse of her children’s marriages. She played Elizabeth as someone who had finally grown comfortable in the armor, perhaps a bit too comfortable.
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Finally, Imelda Staunton (Seasons 5–6) took us to the finish line, covering the 1990s through 2005. This was the "Annus Horribilis" era. Staunton had the hardest job because she was playing the version of the Queen we all remember most vividly from the news. She captured that specific, slightly weary resilience of a woman watching the world change in ways she didn't always like.
Who Really Stole the Show?
While the Queens got the trophies, the supporting The Crown TV show cast often carried the emotional weight.
Let’s talk about Princess Margaret. Vanessa Kirby was electric in the early seasons—basically a 1950s rock star trapped in a palace. She made the Peter Townsend (Ben Miles) heartbreak feel like the end of the world. When Helena Bonham Carter took over, she shifted the energy to a more cynical, martini-swilling tragedy. By the time Lesley Manville stepped in for the final seasons, Margaret was a ghost of her former self, and Manville played that fading light with incredible grace.
And Philip?
- Matt Smith (Seasons 1–2): High energy, restless, and clearly annoyed by having to walk two steps behind his wife.
- Tobias Menzies (Seasons 3–4): My personal favorite. He brought a quiet, intellectual sadness to the role that was just... wow.
- Jonathan Pryce (Seasons 5–6): The elder statesman Philip. Softer, but still with that famous sharp tongue.
The Diana Factor and the "Newer" Royals
The show's tone shifted massively in Season 4 with the arrival of Emma Corrin as Lady Diana Spencer. People went nuts for her performance because she didn't just play Diana; she channeled her. The head tilt, the eyes, the vocal fry—it was uncanny.
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When Elizabeth Debicki took over for Seasons 5 and 6, she had to play a Diana who was no longer a victim, but a power player. Debicki is nearly 6'3", and her height added this strange, vulnerable elegance to the role that worked perfectly against Dominic West’s Prince Charles.
Speaking of West, some fans felt he was "too handsome" for Charles. It’s a valid point! Josh O’Connor (Seasons 3–4) had that specific, awkward "sad boy" energy that felt very authentic to a young Charles. West brought a more confident, frustrated vibe to the older version, which made sense for a man who had been waiting for his "real life" to start for fifty years.
The Unsung Heroes of the Guest Cast
We can’t ignore the Prime Ministers. John Lithgow as Winston Churchill was a massive swing—an American playing the most British man to ever live—and he absolutely nailed it. Then you have Gillian Anderson’s Margaret Thatcher, which was polarizing. Some thought it was a caricature; others thought it was genius. Basically, everyone has an opinion on the Thatcher voice.
And don't forget the villains. Or the "sorta" villains.
- Alex Jennings and Derek Jacobi as the Duke of Windsor (the King who abdicated). They made him pathetic and sophisticated all at once.
- Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed and Salim Daw as Mohamed Al-Fayed. Their story in Season 6 was surprisingly moving, focusing on the immigrant experience in the UK as much as the romance with Diana.
Why the Recasting Actually Works
The biggest misconception is that the recasts are just about age. They’re not. They’re about perspective.
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When you watch Claire Foy, you’re watching a show about a young woman. When you watch Imelda Staunton, you’re watching a show about an institution. The actors change because the vibe of the monarchy changed. You can’t use CGI or makeup to fake the weight of forty years on a person's soul. You need a different actor with a different life experience to bring that to the screen.
It’s also why the show never felt stale. Just as you were getting bored, the entire world reset. New faces, new sets, new political drama.
Essential Watch List for Cast Lovers
If you're looking to appreciate the range of the The Crown TV show cast, check out these specific episodes where the acting goes above and beyond:
- "Dear Mrs. Kennedy" (Season 2): Watch Claire Foy’s face as she meets Jackie Kennedy (Jodi Balfour). The insecurity is palpable.
- "Aberfan" (Season 3): Olivia Colman’s performance here is a masterclass in restrained grief.
- "Fairytale" (Season 4): Emma Corrin captures the isolating horror of joining the Royal Family.
- "Ruritania" (Season 6): Imelda Staunton and Dominic West have a confrontation that feels like twenty years of resentment boiling over.
The show might be over, but the debate about "who played it better" will probably last as long as the monarchy itself. Honestly, that’s the highest compliment you can pay to a casting director. They didn't just find lookalikes; they found people who could make us sympathize with some of the most privileged people on the planet.
If you're planning a rewatch, try focusing on one character—like Princess Anne—and see how Erin Doherty’s dry wit in the 60s evolves into Claudia Harrison’s no-nonsense authority in the 90s. It’s a fascinating study in how actors can share a soul across different bodies.