The Crown: who will be in series five of the Netflix drama, when is it released and Sir John Major criticism

Hit Netflix show ‘The Crown’ returns to the streaming service with its fifth series this autumn, with a whole new range of actors portraying figures such as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. In recent days the show has been hit with criticism from former Prime Minister Sir John Major, who will be portrayed in the new series.

Sir John told the Mail on Sunday last week that a scene which is set to be shown in the new series depicting a rumoured attempt by Prince Charles to force the Queen into abdicating, a scene which involves the former PM, was "a barrel-load of malicious nonsense".

A spokesperson for Sir John Major told the paper: "Sir John has not cooperated in any way with The Crown. Nor has he ever been approached by them to fact-check any script material in this or any other series.

"As you will know, discussions between the monarch and prime minister are entirely private and - for Sir John - will always remain so. But not one of the scenes you depict are accurate in any way whatsoever. They are fiction, pure and simple."

In response to this, a spokesperson for The Crown defended the show by saying the new series is as always a “fictional dramatisation” of events.

They said: "The Crown has always been presented as a drama based on historical events.

"Series five is a fictional dramatisation, imagining what could have happened behind closed doors during a significant decade for the royal family - one that has already been scrutinised and well-documented by journalists, biographers and historians."

Who is in series five of The Crown?

The new series will focus on the early 1990s and cover the resignation of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the transition to Sir John Major.  The series will also cover the separation of Princess Diana and Prince Charles.

It will be released onto Netflix on November 9.

The casting for the new series has been officially revealed by Netflix and will see Imelda Staunton become the third actor to portray Queen Elizabeth II following on from Claire Foy and Olivia Coleman.

Here are some of the big casting changes coming to the new series.

• Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana
• Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II
• Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret
• Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip
• Dominic West- Prince Charles

Sir John Major will be portrayed in series five by Jonny Lee Miller.