Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West on Playing Lady Diana and Prince Charles on Season 5 of ‘The Crown’

The cast of The Crown Season 5 sat down with Edith Bowman, host of The Crown: The Official Podcast, at a virtual press conference to discuss their roles in this dramatic installment of the award-winning series.

Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West — among other members of the cast, including the queen, Imelda Staunton — spoke about playing these very public figures and what it was like working with the young actors who portray Prince William and Prince Harry in the 90s timeline which Season 5 encompasses.

The season follows the couple’s rocky marriage through the divorce that made headlines around the world. Debicki and West were tasked with portraying opposing sides to that story.

It was a divorce, and there’s always two sides in a divorce,” West stated. “I suppose viewers saw or heard one or the other. Hopefully, there’s a bit of perspective now, and I hope everyone gets a fair hearing.”

“We had the time to do the work properly,” said Debicki. “Which I found to be really rewarding and juicy. It is a really deep, and fundamentally psychological conversation you have about accessing these people in the way that the writing does — who they are behind a closed door.”

West and Debicki take over the roles for Season 5, previously played by Josh O’Connor on Seasons 3 and 4 and Emma Corrin who introduced the young Diana on Season 4. “It felt like an enormous responsibility,” Debicki described, but added, “We are supported by this network of people who understand that pressure and want us to be able to do it the best we can.”

Part of that network is an extensive archive that West praised. “There’s an enormous, amazing research department which has every video, every interview, every question you ever wanted to ask about your character or about the royal family. And that’s a huge resource that you can only learn from.”

Along with the archives, both actors credited the movement and dialect coaches for helping them to craft their performances. “So much of interpreting these characters is a real technical challenge,” said Debicki, “but it’s also really satisfying.”

Debicki spoke in terms of Diana’s wardrobe relating to her journey during the season. “What made Diana so interesting and iconic with her fashion choices is that she brought the private into the public sphere which was such a non-royal thing to do. Also, it’s an attempt to capture a telling of her own narrative through silhouette and choice. We had that part of the story to tell — finding a sort of raw version of somebody and allowing the audience to access that private sphere.”

“[Charles] is one of the most scrutinized, publicized lives in the world, so it’s hard to know what people know about him,” remarked West. “I think that’s part of the reason for doing it. Inevitably, you take their side or you give them the benefit of the doubt, and I hope that will maybe happen when people see Charles in this.”

Timothee Sambor and Senan West play Prince William as he grows up in the ’90s with Teddy Hawley and Will Powell in the role of Prince Harry. “I love my kids on the show,” Debicki said. “We’ve been so incredibly fortunate with the casting of the boys who play William and Harry.

Senan West is Dominic West’s real-life son, so it’s safe to say he agrees with his co-star. He called the experience of working with him “very moving.”

“I had never seen him act,” said West. “He had an amazing innocence to him that was extraordinary to watch as well as the fact that, obviously, he’s my boy,” the proud pops gushed.

Debicki recalled shooting a scene with Senan. “I was doing a phone call scene with Senan. He was doing the lines and I was doing them off camera, and I went around to the monitor and saw you sitting there with your cans on, and it was the first time you’d seen him on camera.”

Although, it was not without its challenges for West. “It’s very difficult when you act with children to have a physical intimacy, obviously, but with him that was not a question — made it much easier. I found when it was more emotional it made it much more difficult. You are slightly split in your head between we’re acting this part but that’s a bit weird, isn’t it? Generally, it was really moving.”

“They’re incredible children,” added Debicki. “Really new to it, really fresh. So smart and generous and kind. I’m so much happier when they’re on set with me, and as soon as they go, I miss them so much.”

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The Crown Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.

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The Cast of ‘The Crown’ Discusses the Drama of the Award-Winning Series’ Fifth Season