As far as historical fiction is concerned, very few shows have managed to capture the imaginations of so many people as Netflix's The Crown. Centered around the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the series has managed to captivate audiences with its faithful rendering of many decades of the 20th century, and even managed to stir up some controversy with some of the freedoms it took regarding certain plot points in the fourth season.
The fifth season of the hit TV series is expected to arrive in November 2022. With the season four finale culminating at the end of Margaret Thatcher's tenure as the British prime minister on Christmas 1990, the next entry will likely cover the majority of the '90s, a tumultuous decade for the royal family, as well as the entire globe. The show's fans are already knee-deep in theories about what The Crown's next ten episodes will cover.
8 The Gulf War
The armed conflict that broke out in 1991 as the United States-led coalition's response to Iraq invading Kuwait in August of 1990 was one of the most important and controversial developments of the '90s. The subject of the Gulf War was touched upon in the season four finale of The Crown, but there is still plenty of space to explore the conflict further in the early stages of the fifth part of the series.
It would be particularly interesting to see the showrunners' interpretation of the Queen's approach towards and handling of the matter. Although the decisions weren't hers to make, she played an important part as a motivator of patriotic sentiment in the British populace after the United Kingdom deployed the largest contingent of all European armies in Iraq.
7 The Separation And Eventual Divorce Of Prince Charles And Princess Diana
The marriage of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales was doomed from the start. Its beginnings were expertly shown in the fourth season of The Crown, both in terms of Charles's affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, as well as the feelings of loneliness and entrapment that consumed Diana to the point of her developing an eating disorder.
Season four ends with Diana's ascension to the status of the "people's princess" with her royal visit to New York City proving just how compassionate and understanding she can be. Her popularity in the public eye, however, did not curry her any favors in the royal court or improve her marital situation. By the time the final credits roll, Charles and Diana are fully aware that separation is the only way out of their miserable marriage, and the fifth season will surely pick that storyline right up.
6 Prince Andrew's Tumultuous Private Life
The love lives of members of the British royal family have been the bread and butter of UK tabloids for decades, but the coverage really picked up steam in the '90s. This was primarily because of Charles and Diana's difficult relationship, but other royals' romantic endeavors were also heavily publicized.
This was the case of Prince Andrew, who, much like Prince Charles, separated from his wife, Sarah Ferguson in 1992, following a difficult and unhappy marriage. With a string of separations and divorces ravaging the royal family in the 1990s, it would be interesting to see how Queen Elizabeth reacts to the personal trials and tribulations of her favorite son.
5 Princess Margaret's Deteriorating Health
Fans of The Crown know that Princess Margaret was no stranger to tobacco, alcohol, and a wild, tumultuous lifestyle in general. In the 1990s, her past habits started catching up with her, causing a myriad of debilitating health issues that eventually led to her passing in 2002.
Given the number of events the fifth season has to cover, it is unlikely that fans will see Margaret's death before season six rolls around. Over the next ten episodes, viewers should expect to witness her deteriorating health and all of the emotional trauma and regret that comes with it, affecting the entire royal family.
4 Prince William And Harry's Difficult Teenage Years
Growing up as a member of the British royal family has got to be incredibly difficult on its own. The attention of tabloids, television outlets, and gossip social media sites are focused on them basically since the moment they take their first steps.
Things were no different for Harry and William when they were growing up. Besides the paparazzi carefully documenting their upbringing, they had to deal with their parents' separation and eventual divorce. This is something that always has a profound impact on a young person's development, especially as they enter their teenage years, regardless of what kind of a family they were born into.
3 Princess Diana's Death
The issues plaguing the Princess of Wales were some of the leading plot points in season four and as its finale hinted at Charles and Diana realizing they need to get separated, the upcoming episodes will most definitely explore Diana's life after leaving the royal family, all the way to her unfortunate death in 1997.
Not only was her fatal crash a tragic event in and of itself, but it also shook up the royal family to its core. Diana's demise put the Queen in a pretty bad light given that her attitude towards Diana and the way Charles treated her were not a secret to the public.
2 The Downfall Of The Conservative Party
The 1980s were a decade when the Western world was dominated by charismatic, conservative leaders the likes of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Her Conservative Party was also a primary force in the British parliament, however, cracks were beginning to be apparent within the organization, and by 1997, the left-leaning Labor Party took over the government in a landslide election.
Queen Elizabeth's dealings with British prime ministers were a major part of the show so far, and her handling of such radical changes, as well as her relationship with Tony Blair (who became prime minister in 1997), will definitely be central to the fifth season's storyline.
1 The Queen's Annus Horribilis
1992 was a year when it all came crashing down on Queen Elizabeth II. Neverending drama permeated the royal family, as the failed and scandalous romantic endeavors and marriages of Elizabeth's three children and unpleasant encounters during public appearances tarnished the royals' image in the public's eye.
Aside from family problems, a fire ravaged Windsor Castle, endangering a sizeable portion of the royal family's legacy, which made the already-tense situation even worse. The Queen famously described 1992 as the "annus horriblis", or the worst year of her reign so far, in a public speech commemorating her Ruby Jubilee (40th anniversary of becoming the Queen).