The Crown’s Final Act: 7 Most Talked-About Characters And Their Shocking Season 6 Arcs

The Crown, Netflix's monumental historical drama, concluded its six-season run with a final, emotionally charged chapter, leaving an indelible mark on how the world views the British Royal Family. As of December 2025, the conversation remains vibrant, particularly concerning the actors who took on the immense responsibility of portraying the world's most scrutinized figures in the show's final iteration. This definitive guide breaks down the key characters of the final season, their real-life counterparts, and the controversial storylines that dominated global headlines.

The show’s unique structure, which famously recasts the main roles every two seasons to reflect the passage of time, culminated with its third and final ensemble. This cast was tasked with navigating the most sensitive and well-documented period of the late 20th century, cementing their place in television history. The final episodes, released in late 2023, focused heavily on the tumultuous period following 1997, capturing both tragedy and the dawn of a new royal generation.

The Final Ensemble: Complete Character Biography and Profile

The sixth and final season saw the return of the third and final cast, bringing their portrayals of the Royal Family to a dramatic close. Their performances covered the period from the mid-1990s through to the early 2000s, encompassing global tragedy and major constitutional shifts.

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• Queen Elizabeth II (Played by Imelda Staunton): Staunton completed the trio of actresses (following Claire Foy and Olivia Colman) to play the central figure, portraying the Queen as she grappled with the death of Princess Diana, the public backlash against the monarchy, and the landmark Golden Jubilee. Her arc focused on her struggle to balance duty with personal emotion during a period of intense national mourning.
• Prince Charles (Played by Dominic West): West’s portrayal covered Charles’s transition from a divorced, publicly maligned figure to a grieving father and, eventually, a man finally allowed to marry Camilla Parker Bowles. His journey in the final season is one of subtle emotional complexity and a quest for public acceptance.
• Princess Diana (Played by Elizabeth Debicki): Debicki’s critically acclaimed performance was central to the first half of Season 6. Her character arc focused intensely on the final summer of her life, her relationship with Dodi Fayed, and the relentless pursuit by the paparazzi that led to the tragic car crash in Paris.
• Camilla Parker Bowles (Played by Olivia Williams): Williams’s character arc saw Camilla move from a private partner to a publicly accepted future wife of Prince Charles. The season highlighted the slow, careful process of her integration into the Royal Family following Diana’s death.
• Prince William (Played by Ed McVey): McVey took on the role of the teenage and young adult Prince William, depicting his profound grief following his mother’s death and his subsequent transition to university life at St Andrews, where he meets his future wife.
• Prince Harry (Played by Luther Ford): Ford portrayed Prince Harry during his adolescence and young adulthood, focusing on his shared grief with his brother and his early struggles to find his place within the Royal Family structure.
• Kate Middleton (Played by Meg Bellamy): A major introduction in the final episodes, Bellamy’s Kate Middleton was central to the series’ conclusion. Her character arc chronicled her first meeting and blossoming romance with Prince William at St Andrews University, signifying the future of the monarchy.

The Most Controversial Character Arcs of Season 6

The final season, helmed by creator Peter Morgan, was arguably the most scrutinized and controversial of the entire series. It tackled events still fresh in public memory, generating significant debate over historical accuracy and dramatic license. The most contentious character arcs centered on the tragic events of 1997 and their direct aftermath.

Princess Diana: The Post-Mortem Conversations

The character of Princess Diana, portrayed with immense sensitivity by Elizabeth Debicki, was the epicenter of the early Season 6 controversy. The episodes leading up to her death in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris were emotionally taxing, focusing on her relationship with Dodi Fayed and the intense media pressure.

The most shocking creative decision, however, came after the crash. The character of Diana appeared to Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II in separate, imagined, or "ghostly" conversations.

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In her conversation with Prince Charles, her character offered him a moment of closure, stating that she had "loved you most desperately." This dramatic device was criticized by some as an inappropriate fictionalization of a deeply private and tragic event.

The Queen's conversation with Diana's character also touched on the public's perception of the monarchy, reinforcing the theme that Diana’s death was a catalyst for fundamental change within the institution of the Royal Family.

Prince William and Kate Middleton: The New Royal Dawn

The final episodes shifted focus dramatically from the "old guard" to the future of the monarchy, with the character arcs of Prince William and Kate Middleton taking center stage. This narrative choice was a clear sign of the series moving towards a hopeful, if fictionalized, conclusion.

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The show dedicated significant screen time to the early days of their romance at St Andrews University in Scotland. This included their first meeting, their life as students, and the slow, tentative steps of their courtship, which was often framed as a modern fairy tale.

The depiction of their relationship, featuring Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy, was praised for its youthful energy but also drew criticism for potentially over-dramatizing the early stages of their relationship, including a scene where Prince William is seemingly influenced by a photo of Kate's mother. Critics argued this focus on a tabloid-friendly romance detracted from the core political and constitutional themes of the series.

The Queen's Final Struggle for Relevance

While the focus often drifted to the younger generations, Queen Elizabeth II's character arc remained the emotional anchor. Imelda Staunton's portrayal highlighted the Queen's profound isolation and her struggle to adapt to a rapidly changing world following the Princess Diana tragedy.

Her character grappled with the public's demand for a more visible and emotional monarchy, a concept foreign to her generation's upbringing. The final season showed her having to make difficult decisions, such as the public display of the flag at half-mast over Buckingham Palace, a move she initially resisted.

The series concluded with a poignant scene involving the Queen reflecting on her life and reign, a powerful moment of meta-commentary that brought the entire six-season narrative to a contemplative close. The character’s final moments underscored the central tension of the show: the personal cost of a life dedicated entirely to the Crown.

The final season of The Crown successfully cemented its characters as iconic television figures, navigating a tightrope walk between historical documentation and dramatic interpretation. From the controversial depiction of Princess Diana's final moments to the cheerful introduction of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the final ensemble cast ensured the series ended not with a whimper, but with a highly debated, emotionally resonant roar.