The Crown series 6 first teaser: Final instalment to be split into two parts as trailer sees Claire Foy and Olivia Colman return alongside Imelda Staunton to chart Queen Elizabeth’s conflict over her life and duty

The Crown series six release date was revealed on Monday – as fans were given a glimpse at what to expect from the final instalment. 

A first trailer was also released showing Imelda Staunton returning as Queen Elizabeth. 

It also featured snippets of footage of previous Queen actresses Claire Foy and Olivia Colman in a nod to the series’ decades-spanning journey. 

The first four episodes of series will debut on the streamer on November 16. 

The show will then take a hiatus of nearly a whole month before releasing its final six episodes on December 14. 

Exciting: The Crown series six release date was revealed on Monday – as fans were given a glimpse at what to expect from the final instalment

Character: A first trailer was also released showing Imelda Staunton returning as Queen Elizabeth

The series poster shows one striking shot of Princess Diana in a blue bathing suit sat at the end of a jetty.

While another eerie shot shows The Queen walking alone through the shadows to an open door. 

‘The crown is a symbol of permeance. It’s something you are, not what you do,’ Foy said, as a television flickered footage of her in character to begin the trailer. 

She first starred as the monarch in seasons one and two of The Crown, and played a young Queen Elizabeth. 

‘Some portion of our natural selves is always lost. We have all made sacrifices. It is not a choice. It is a duty,’ Colman then echoed. 

The video rolled to a framed photo of her in character as the sovereign, who she played in seasons three and four

The clip dramatically then cut to Staunton in costume, quietly holding her hands before stepping out onto a Buckingham Palace-like balcony to greet a cheering crowd.

Upcoming: The series poster shows one striking shot of Princess Diana in a blue bathing suit sat at the end of a jetty

Get ready: The first four episodes of series will debut on the streamer on November 16

Before: It also featured snippets of footage of previous Queen actresses Claire Foy and Olivia Colman (seen) in a nod to the series’ decades-spanning journey

‘But what about the life, I put aside? The wouldn’t — I put aside?’ Staunton’s voice then questioned.  

It comes after it was claimed that The Crown may return as a series of films once the sixth and final series of the royal drama airs later this year.

According to sources, Netflix is keen to continue the series in some way after it was previously believed it would only run until the end of the sixth season.

A TV insider told the Sun: ‘Although this sounds like a drastic change, it’s one that proved a huge success for Downton Abbey, which ran for 52 episodes before continuing as two hit films.

‘Creating a movie, or perhaps a series of specials, means creators would have so much more flexibility to jump in terms of time and topics.

‘They could deliver a prequel, perhaps focusing on the abdication crisis in the 1930s. Down the line, there’s the option to revisit the 21st century royals, perhaps focusing on Harry meeting Meghan and his fallout with William.’

MailOnline have contacted Netflix for comment.

Last month, Netflix insiders have let slip to the Mail On Sunday that there may yet be another series of the hit Royal drama to come.

The streaming platform has always insisted that the sixth season, expected to air this autumn, will be the last, taking events up to the late Queen’s death last year.

But at a recent wrap party to mark the end of filming those episodes, producers revealed that an extra series could be on the cards. With a wink, one executive hinted: ‘Just you wait until next year – maybe we will be in production.’

Split: The show will then take a hiatus of nearly a whole month before releasing its final six episodes on December 14

Drama: While another eerie shot shows The Queen walking alone through the shadows to an open door

‘The crown is a symbol of permeance. It’s something you are, not what you do,’ Foy said, as a television flickered footage of her in character to begin the trailer

The big-budget series, which has charted the late Queen’s life since her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip, has become more controversial as the events it dramatises – often with only a loose connection to the truth – become more contemporary. 

So if a seventh series covered King Charles’s reign, it could make more headlines.

Another possibility would be a prequel, focusing on the late Queen’s childhood and teenage years.

The last scenes of series six to be shot recreated the 2005 wedding of Charles and Camilla, played by Dominic West and Olivia Williams.

Last month, West, 53, was visibly emotional as filming wound up in Rochester, Kent, which was standing in for Windsor. But the day ended in celebratory mood, with cast and crew dancing to a live band.

West was also the last man standing at the wrap party, leaving the bash at the Natural History Museum at 3.30am. Others there included Imelda, who plays the Queen, and Jonathan Pryce, who plays Philip. 

Olivia Colman and Claire Foy played younger versions of Her Majesty in previous series.

They will be reportedly appearing in the sixth and final series of the show alongside Imelda. According to The Sun there will also be a previously unseen ‘wartime’ depiction of the younger princess Elizabeth, which will be played by Viola Prettejohn.

It comes after a TV insider revealed to The Sun that the idea likely came around during the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s death last September.

The insider said: ‘Netflix are playing a clever hand with these four queens, bringing the story of Her Majesty to a sensational end after telling virtually all of her life story over 60 episodes.’

‘It also indicates the respect and affection which the creators have for the late monarch, even though they might not feel the same way about the royals as an institution’, they added.

‘But what about the life, I put aside? The wouldn’t — I put aside?’ Staunton’s voice then questioned

The source continued: ‘The idea would most likely have been devised last year, around the time that the Queen passed away, as a way of paying tribute to her.

‘Getting the actresses together was no mean feat as both Claire and Olivia went on to bigger things after making The Crown and have packed schedules.’

It comes after Claire, who played the Queen in series one and two in 2016 and 2017, received plenty of praise for her performance.

Meanwhile, Oscar-winner Olivia, who portrayed the Queen in series three and four in 2019 and 2020, was also critically lauded for her role in the hit TV show.

Elsewhere, Imelda was nominated for a Best Actress BAFTA for her work in the fifth series, which aired last year.

The Crown returns to Netflix on November 16.

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