Netflix’s Fan-Favorite 7-Season Hit Is Getting a Prequel That Dares to Rewrite the Rules

Netflix is lining up a big swing with The Crown: a full-on prequel that jumps across multiple rulers instead of zeroing in on one. It is a risk, sure, but it is also smart timing. Prestige historical drama is pretty thin on the ground right now, and a fresh angle on one of Netflix's most beloved series could pull in die-hards and curious newcomers at the same time.

So, what are they making?

Netflix has finally closed a deal for a The Crown prequel that covers the stretch from Queen Victoria's death to Princess Elizabeth's 1947 wedding at Westminster Abbey. That means the show will move through a lot of royal turnover instead of living with a single sovereign the way the original did.

• Queen Victoria (as the starting point at her death)
• Edward VII
• George V
• Edward VIII
• George VI
• Elizabeth Windsor before she took the throne (the future Queen Elizabeth II)

Yes, that is a lot of crowns to juggle, and yeah, that is the gamble. Quick clarification while we are here: if you have seen chatter calling her Queen Elizabeth I in this window, that is just wrong. We are talking about the future Elizabeth II before the coronation.

Where things stand behind the scenes

According to a source close to the production, Netflix spent a long time hammering this out and only recently locked the agreement. Series creator Peter Morgan is back on board, with a script already in the works and casting scheduled to kick off next year. If you followed his comments last year, this tracks. In 2024 he told The Hollywood Reporter he was not interested in pushing The Crown any closer to the present, but he was not done with the subject either. In other words, the past was always his way forward.

'You can find a story in the past and tell that, and it will actually be a story about the present, but in camouflage.'

That quote is basically the mission statement for this prequel.

Why this could work (and why it might not)

The original The Crown built its identity around one monarch and time-jumped via recasting, which gave the show a clean spine to follow. Spreading attention across several rulers risks chopping the story into smaller bites and losing that throughline. On the flip side, this era is stacked with natural drama: the end of Victoria's world, a whirlwind abdication, a global war, and a young Elizabeth stepping into history. If anything can meet those 'big shoes to fill' expectations, it is Morgan returning to a time frame that lets him do what he does best: use the past to comment on the present without turning it into homework.

A quick refresher on The Crown

Seasons 1 and 2 charted Elizabeth's path from girlhood through her uncle's abdication, her father taking the throne, her wedding, and the start of her family life. Claire Foy played Elizabeth, with Matt Smith as her husband, Prince Philip. Later seasons carried the story through the rest of her reign, including the tragedy of Princess Diana's death and the fallout that engulfed the Windsors. It is one of Netflix's most acclaimed and watched shows, which is exactly why this prequel is a bold move—and a potentially great one.

The bottom line

A sweeping prequel spanning Victoria to 1947 is a departure from The Crown's original formula, but it is a savvy bet. The talent is back, the script is underway, casting starts next year, and the period is rich enough to hook both fans and first-timers. Big risk, yes. Also, big upside.

Curious to see The Crown juggle multiple monarchs instead of one? Same. Tell me where you land on this move.