Netflix hit drama The Crown has returned to screens today with its long-awaited fifth season.
The latest series of the show, which is based around the British monarchy under the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II, depicts the divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, as well as the 1992 fire at Windsor Castle.
Filming for the series took place along the seafront in Eastbourne and at the town's Queens Hotel. A clandestine edit room was set up there to finalise the explosive Martin Bashir TV interview with Princess Diana.
Production crews were spotted at the scene in December last year as the period drama finished filming for the latest season.
The new series features Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II, with Jonny Lee Miller as former Prime Minister John Major, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Dominic West as Prince Charles and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana.
The Crown has been filmed at several locations across Sussex over the years, with Hollywood actress Helena Bonham Carter, who played Princess Margaret in series three, pictured in Rye in 2019.
The town was transformed for filming, with 1970s-era shopfronts and vehicles lining the streets.
An old Woolworths became Veitch’s fashion store and an open-fronted greengrocers was created with fresh produce on display.
Actress Erin Doherty, who grew up in Crawley, has also featured in the show, playing the role of Princess Anne in the drama’s third and fourth seasons.
Production of the show’s sixth and final season has already begun, which is rumoured to explore the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana and the lives of Princes William and Harry in the early 2000s.
However, filming had been paused for a time following the Queen’s death earlier this year.
It is anticipated that the final season of the Netflix drama will be released in early 2024.
The show has faced mounting criticism over its depiction of events involving the Royal Family, in particular from former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and John Major.
Netflix put a disclaimer in the description of its YouTube trailer for the latest series of The Crown last month, saying the programme is a “fictional dramatisation” and “inspired by real events”.
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