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Everything We Know About Seasons 3 And 4 Of 'The Crown'

They just announced their Princess Diana this week.
Left: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Balmoral, Scotland in 1972. Right: Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies in Season 3 of
Left: Getty Images. Right: Sophie Mutevelian via Netflix.
Left: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Balmoral, Scotland in 1972. Right: Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies in Season 3 of

Now that Netflix has cast its Princess Diana for an upcoming season of "The Crown," we know who will be portraying all the major players in the dramatization of the lives of the British monarchy throughout the 20th century. And we can't wait.

Seasons 1 and 2 of the show focused on the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, in the 1950s and early 60s. The next two seasons will focus on the period from the mid-60s to the early 80s. It was an eventful period of British history: the sexual revolution, decolonization in many African and Caribbean countries, industrial unrest, and the elections of Edward Heath and of Margaret Thatcher.

And a lot happened in the lives of the royals, too: the Queen's Silver jubilee, tours of the Commonwealth, Princess Margaret's affair and subsequent divorce, Prince Charles' marriage to Princess Diana, and several attempts on the Queen's life, to name just a few.

The royal family at Buckingham Palace in 1972. Left to right: Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward and Prince Charles.
Fox Photos / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
The royal family at Buckingham Palace in 1972. Left to right: Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward and Prince Charles.

We're still waiting on the release date, but it's likely to be towards the end of 2019. In the meantime, here's a look at the stars of seasons 3 and 4.

Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II

Left: Queen Elixabeth II in 1970. Right: Olivia Colman at the AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 4, 2019.
Getty Images
Left: Queen Elixabeth II in 1970. Right: Olivia Colman at the AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 4, 2019.

It won't be the British actress's first time as a queen — she won an Oscar for her role as Queen Anne in 2018's "The Favourite.

Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip

Left: Prince Philip at the dedication of a Knights Bachelor temple in London in July 1968. Right: Tobias Menzies at the premiere of "The Terror" in Madrid in March 2018.
Left: George Freston / Hulton Archive via Getty Images. Right: Pablo Cuadra / FilmMagic via Getty Images.
Left: Prince Philip at the dedication of a Knights Bachelor temple in London in July 1968. Right: Tobias Menzies at the premiere of "The Terror" in Madrid in March 2018.

Paul Bettany was reportedly in the running to play the Queen's husband, but Tobias Menzies snagged role instead. You may not recognize the name, but you've surely seen the face: he's appeared in "Game of Thrones," "Outlander," "Black Mirror," and "The Night Manager," among other popular TV shows and movies.

Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret

Left: Princess Margaret at an American fashion show in 1965. Right: Helena Bonham Carter at the EE British Academy Film Awards in London in Feb. 2018.
Left: Bill Ray / The LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images. Right: Mike Marsland / Getty Images
Left: Princess Margaret at an American fashion show in 1965. Right: Helena Bonham Carter at the EE British Academy Film Awards in London in Feb. 2018.

The dissolution of Margaret's marriage to Antony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdon, is apparently a major theme of the third season. Helena Bonham Carter is one of those actors who can project aristocratic prestige as well as a deep well of darkness, which seems perfect for playing Margaret.

Ben Daniels as Lord Snowdon

Left: Antony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdown, in 1974. Right: Ben Daniels at the Theatre World Awards ceremony at Circle in the Square on June 2, 2014 in New York City.
Left: Owen Franken via Getty Images. Right: Noam Galai / WireImage via Getty Images
Left: Antony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdown, in 1974. Right: Ben Daniels at the Theatre World Awards ceremony at Circle in the Square on June 2, 2014 in New York City.

Daniels is a respected stage actor, and one of those British types who's appeared in just about everything on TV.

Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles

Left: Prince Charles fishing, 1970s. Right: Josh O'Connor in London on Feb. 16, 2018.
Left: Tim Graham / Getty Images. Right: Dave Benett / Getty Images for Grey Goose Vodka
Left: Prince Charles fishing, 1970s. Right: Josh O'Connor in London on Feb. 16, 2018.

He's got the ears!

Emma Corrin as Princess Diana

Left: Young Princess Diana. Right: Emma Corrin.
Getty Images
Left: Young Princess Diana. Right: Emma Corrin.

Princess Diana likely won't appear in Season 3, which will span the period from 1964 to 1976. (She met Charles in 1977.)

Emma Corrin is a relatively unknown actress — her major credit before this one was a guest role on one episode of the British show "Grantchester."

Emerald Fennell as Camilla Shand

Left: Camilla Parker-Bowles in 1979. Right: Emerald Fennell at the L.A. premiere of "Killing Eve" on April 1, 2019.
Left: Tim Graham / Getty Images. Right: JB Lacroix / WireImage via Getty Images.
Left: Camilla Parker-Bowles in 1979. Right: Emerald Fennell at the L.A. premiere of "Killing Eve" on April 1, 2019.

Emerald Fennell is an acclaimed writer as well as an actress — she's the head writer for the second season of "Killing Eve". She also gave a phenomenal quote to Netflix once she was cast in the role: "I absolutely love Camilla, and am very grateful that my teenage years have well prepared me for playing a chain-smoking serial snogger with a pudding bowl hair cut."

Erin Doherty as Princess Anne

Left: Princess Anne at the Society of Film and Television Awards on March 4, 1971. Right: Erin Doherty.
Left: Anwar Hussein / Getty Images. Right: iMDB.
Left: Princess Anne at the Society of Film and Television Awards on March 4, 1971. Right: Erin Doherty.

Erin Doherty, who will play the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, is also a relative unknown. Her credits include "Call the Midwife" and a BBC adaptation of "Les Misérables."

Marion Bailey as the Queen Mother

Left: the Queen Mother at a performance at RADA in London in Nov. 1964. London, UK, November 1964. Right: Marion Bailey a the premiere of "Mr. Turner" on May 15, 2014.
Left: Terry Disney / Express via Getty Images. Right: J. Hogan / Getty Images
Left: the Queen Mother at a performance at RADA in London in Nov. 1964. London, UK, November 1964. Right: Marion Bailey a the premiere of "Mr. Turner" on May 15, 2014.

Queen Elizabeth's mother, who lived to be 101, was one of the members of the Royal Family who remained in good favour with the public even when other family members were unpopular. She'll be played by Marion Bailey, another workhorse British actor who's appeared in probably every British show you've ever heard of.

Maybe? Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher

Left: Margaret Thatcher at a political conference in London in the early 1980s in London, England. Right: Gillian Anderson at a press conference for "American Gods" on May 3, 2017 in London, England.
Left: Tim Graham / Getty Images. Right: Vera Anderson / WireImage via Getty Images
Left: Margaret Thatcher at a political conference in London in the early 1980s in London, England. Right: Gillian Anderson at a press conference for "American Gods" on May 3, 2017 in London, England.

This hasn't been confirmed by Netflix yet, but many outlets have reported that Gillian Anderson is at the very least in talks to play the famously divisive British prime minister.

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