‘The Crown’ to halt production ‘out of respect’ for the Queen’s death
The Crown #TheCrown
In the wake of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, “The Crown” is expected to take a production hiatus for Season 6.
The longest-reigning monarch in British history, whose dedication to royal tradition and stiff upper lip in the face of family scandals endeared her to generations of Britons, died Sept. 8. She was 96.
The royal family announced her death from Balmoral Castle, her beloved summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed to her side after her health took a turn for the worse.
“ ‘The Crown’ is a love letter to her and I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect. I expect we will stop filming out of respect too,” Peter Morgan, writer of the popular Netflix show told Deadline.
Season 6 is slated for release in 2023. Meanwhile, Season 5 is set to premier on the streamer in November.
Morgan, who also wrote the 2006 film “The Queen,” starring Helen Mirren as Her Majesty, has declined to comment further on the monarch’s death.
Netflix has not responded to The Post’s request to comment.
Producers for “The Crown” had been prepared for Operation London Bridge, the protocol that establishes what will happen from the moment of the queen’s death to when Prince Charles would be pronounced king.
“We have our own version of Operation London Bridge,” a series insider told The Post. “This is particularly pertinent for if we are filming. Filming will shut down immediately if we are in production, for at least a week. There would also be lots of discussion about when to restart.”
The award winning television show said Rufus Kampa, 16, will play Prince William from the age of 15, while actor Ed McVey, 21, will play him during his late teens and into his early 20s, Deadline reported last week.
As for Duchess Kate Middleton, Meg Bellamy will portray her as a young woman.
The upcoming season will show Princess Diana, Prince Charles and the rest of “the firm” as they deal with the issues that befell them in the 1990s, while Season 6 will move into modern times, chronicling the conflicts they encounter in the 21st century.