Viola Prettejohn: The New Queen Elizabeth in The Crown Season 6

Introduction to The Crown Season 6

Netflix released the final episodes of The Crown on December 14, 2023, and in one of them, a new actress joined the prestigious group of stars who have played Queen Elizabeth II in the show. The historical drama television series chronicles the life of the former Queen of the United Kingdom, from her marriage to Philip Mountbatten in the late 1940s to her son, Prince Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles's wedding in 2005. Since the Netflix show covers many years of her life, a handful of different actresses have played Queen Elizabeth II over the course of its six seasons.

Viola Prettejohn as Young Queen Elizabeth in The Crown season 6, episode 8.

Imelda Staunton took over the reins from Olivia Colman in The Crown season 5 and played Queen Elizabeth II until the end of the series. The final season primarily took place from 1997 to 2005 and showcased events such as the deaths of Princess Diana, Princess Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, the beginnings of Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship, and Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles's wedding. However, the historical drama also traveled back to the 1940s when Queen Elizabeth II was just a teenager.

Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown Edited

Viola Prettejohn: The Young Queen Elizabeth

Viola Prettejohn starred as a young Queen Elizabeth II (when she was known as Princess Elizabeth) in The Crown season 6. The actress first appeared in episode 8, which jumped back to May 8, 1945, also known as VE (Victory in Europe) Day. Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, snuck out of Buckingham Palace and went to the Ritz to celebrate. She was 19 years old at the time, which meant she was a few years away from marrying Phillip, as seen in the first season. Prettejohn returned in the series finale when all the variations of Queen Elizabeth II came together for the last scene.

Aside from playing a teenage Princess Elizabeth, Prettejohn is most known for her role as Myrtle Haplisch in The Nevers. The actress also appeared in Counterpart and The Witcher. As for her future projects, Prettejohn is set to star in Generation Z.

The Fifth Actress to Portray Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown

After her appearance in the final season, Viola Prettejohn is the fifth actress to portray Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix historical drama series. Claire Foy was the first to do it in seasons 1 and 2, followed by Olivia Colman in seasons 3 and 4, and then Imelda Staunton in the last two seasons. Additionally, Verity Russell played a young version of the former Queen of the United Kingdom in seasons 1 and 3 before Prettejohn took over in The Crown season 6.

The Crown season 6 is streaming on Netflix.