As popular as Netflix’s The Crown has become over the last couple of years, there’s no chance it’ll continue after its sixth season, the show’s executive producer has confirmed.  

Despite some fans hoping that the show would touch on more recent events in the royal family, including Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to step back from their royal duties, producer Suzanne Mackie has confirmed that’ll never be the case. 

Speaking in an interview with Broadcast Now, she explained: “Peter [Morgan, the show’s creator] has said it very articulately, that he simply can’t write something unless there has been time to gain a proper perspective.   

“And I think he’s always felt 10 years is the minimum amount of time that he can see something in a historical context, to allow him to really understand it. I don’t think he’ll deviate from that.” 

She continued: “We all know these stories, but what Peter does so brilliantly is get underneath that, and understand the landscape in a more nuanced, complex, surprising way.

“The minute he starts trying to do that sooner, it will inevitably feel contrived or artificial. So, although this has been an absolute career highlight for me, it will absolutely be time to move on.”

While fans of The Crown will no doubt be disappointed that the show has such a definite end date, it does make a lot of sense.

Indeed, as Peter Morgan himself explained when previously asked whether the show would touch on Meghan and Harry’s experiences, time gives the show’s team time to “really understand something” in the context of everything else that’s going on. 

“I just think you get so much more interesting [with time],” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “Meghan and Harry are in the middle of their journey, and I don’t know what their journey is or how it will end. One wishes some happiness, but I’m much more comfortable writing about things that happened at least 20 years ago.”

Morgan continued: “[20 years] is enough time and enough distance to really understand something, to understand its role, to understand its position, to understand its relevance.

“Often things that appear absolutely wildly important today are instantly forgotten, and other things have a habit of sticking around and proving to be historically very relevant and long-lasting.” 

As sad as it is to hear that such a brilliant series will be coming to an end, we’ve still got plenty of The Crown left to enjoy before that point.

Just last week, we heard that Johnny Lee Miller will play John Major in the show’s final two series – and with filming on season five set to start this month, you may not have too long to wait until the next series arrives.

Seasons 1-4 of The Crown are available to watch on Netflix 

Images: Netflix