First photos of Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana leave The Crown fans disappointed

New photos of Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in Season Five of The Crown have been met with major criticism

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 20: Elizabeth Debicki attends the Burberry show during the London Fashion Week February 2017 collections on February 20, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage)
(Image credit: (Photo by Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage))

The first photos of Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in Season Five of The Crown have finally been released—and fans of the show aren't happy. 

  • The first photos of Elizabeth Debicki in costume on The Crown Season Five have led to widespread disappointment amongst fans of the royal series.  
  • The Australian actress will replace Emma Corrin as Princess Diana for the fifth and sixth seasons of the hit Netflix series. 
  • In other royal news, Princess Diana never remarried for this heartbreaking reason.

The first photos of Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in The Crown Season Five are finally here, nearly one year after the Australian actress was confirmed to replace Emma Corrin in the highly-anticipated return of the hit Netflix show. 

The Great Gatsby star was spotted on set at Ardverikie Estate in Scotland—a dupe for the Queen's country retreat, Balmoral Castle—walking alongside two young actors who appear to be playing Prince William and Prince Harry. 

Dressed in a navy blazer, pink shirt, pale blue jeans, and boots, Elizabeth looked every inch the '90s Diana we all know and love. Her on-screen sons, whose real names are not yet known, were wearing matching striped rugby shirts and jeans. 

The photos have caused quite the stir online, with fans of The Crown eager to see if the French-born actress can live up to Emma Corrin's Emmy-nominated portrayal of the late princess. 

The news of Elizabeth's addition to the cast was initially welcomed by viewers, many of whom were familiar with her previous roles in the films Widows (2018) and Tenet (2020). However, the first photos of the new Diana led to widespread disappointment, as many fans struggled to make out their poor quality. While the costumes were clear, the facial details of the characters were significantly compromised by the pixelation of the images. 

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Not all fans were disheartened by the grainy photos though. Having waited nearly twelve months for a glimpse of Elizabeth as Diana, some were just grateful to finally see an authentic picture. 

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Elizabeth will be joined by a host of other new actors on the fifth and sixth seasons of The Crown, including Imelda Staunton as the Queen and Jonathon Pryce as Prince Philip. Having already watched every episode of the series, it looks like the Melbourne actress will have no problem getting into character for the iconic role. 

"Princess Diana's spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many," Elizabeth said in a statement. "It is my true privilege and honor to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one." 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.