Elizabeth Debicki to play Princess Diana in The Crown

The Australian actress has been cast in a glamorous and tragic role in the final two seasons of Netflix’s hit series.

Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki, left, will play Diana, right, in the new series of The Crown. Pictures: News Corp/Getty

Statuesque Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki will play Princess Diana in what are set to be the final two seasons of hit TV drama The Crown about the British royal family.

Debicki will star in the Netflix drama alongside Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth and Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip in seasons five and six.

It is unknown which actor will play Prince Charles in the series which is likely to include Charles and Diana’s divorce in 1996 and Diana’s death the next year in a high-speed car chase in Paris.

Elizabeth Debicki will play Princess Diana in the final two seasons of The Crown (Seasons 5 and 6). pic.twitter.com/Z3CjHuJ56B

— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) August 16, 2020

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

Princess Diana is pictured at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1992. Picture: Dave Gaywood / AFP

Debicki, 29, was born in Paris and raised in Melbourne. She is known for her roles in Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby and in recent film The Burnt Orange Heresy opposite Donald Sutherland and Mick Jagger.

Her appearance as Diana in The Crown is sure to introduce her to a wider audience, as the series has been watched by 73m households since it started in 2016, according to Netflix figures.

Naomi Watts as Diana, Princess of Wales in a scene from the film Diana. Picture: Supplied

Debicki will take on the role from younger actress Emma Corrin who will play Lady Diana Spencer in season four, expected to screen this year.

Debicki follows other Australian stars into princess roles: Naomi Watts played Diana in Oliver Hirschbiegel’s 2013 biopic Diana, and Nicole Kidman appeared as Grace Kelly in 2014 film Grace of Monaco.

In a recent interview Debicki, who lives in Los Angeles, was critical of the tall poppy syndrome in Australia which she said stopped people from being “too ambitious”.

Nicole Kidman playing actor turned princess Grace Kelly in a scene from the film Grace of Monaco. Picture: Supplied