‘The Crown’ Is Back on Netflix

Season two of royalty drama The Crown starts on Netflix as of Dec. 8. There are 10 episodes in the new season, which stars Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II.

Peter Morgan created the show. Inspired by the play The Audience, it reunites Morgan with director Stephen Daldry and producer Andy Harries. The three executive produce the series, along with Philip Martin, Suzanne Mackie, Matthew Byam-Shaw, Robert Fox and Tanya Seghatchian.

According to Netflix, “Beginning with soldiers in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces fighting an illegal war in Egypt, and ending with the downfall of her third Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan after a devastating scandal, the second season bears witness to the end of the age of deference, and ushers in the revolutionary era of the 1960s.”

The Crown was up for outstanding drama at the 2017 Emmys, which went to Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

Says the NY Times of the second season, “Elizabeth stiffens her upper lip and, as the British monarchy’s role begins to come into question in the late 1950s and early 1960s, deals with one after another of her disappointing royal relatives: her inappropriate sister, Margaret (Vanessa Kirby); her Nazi-sympathizing uncle, the former Edward VIII (Alex Jennings); and, endlessly, her whining, childish husband, Philip (Matt Smith), who bargains his way to the title of prince early in the season.”

The second season also touches on the Profumo affair, which saw then-secretary of state for war John Profumo carry on an affair with teenager Christine Keeler. Keeler died Dec. 4.

Olivia Colman will play the queen in season three.

Related: 'The Crown' Back on Netflix Dec. 8

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.