It's been a few days since news broke that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away at the age of 96 and the Royal Family, the UK and the world are still coming to terms with the end of such a remarkable era.
Among those mourning the loss of the monarch are the cast of Netflix's The Crown, who have portrayed the public and private life of the royals across all four seasons.
The hit series premiered on the streaming platform in November 2016 and has so far documented – albeit with somewhat of a fictional twist – the early beginnings of Her Majesty's reign, her romance Prince Philip, as well as the relationship between the now-King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales.
Related: Dame Helen Mirren pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II following her death
The impact of Her Majesty's death on The Crown's cast has been no secret, as it was announced last week that filming for series 5 would be paused out of respect to the Queen.
"The Crown is a love letter to her," the show's creator Peter Morgan announced. "I've nothing to add for now, just silence and respect. I expect we will stop filming out of respect too."
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Now, Olivia Colman – who played Her Majesty in seasons three and four – has made a public tribute to the monarch.
"I wouldn't know where to begin with that," the actor told Variety magazine of the Queen's impact. "She made a promise as a young woman and she absolutely kept it with such dignity."
Related: Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022: Her life and reign in pictures
Colman went on: "We're all incredibly impressed by what she did."
Later, Colman commented on King Charles III's first speech as the UK's new head of state. "From a British point of view, he did it so beautifully," she said. "He did it about love, tolerance and gentleness, and that is what she always wanted and she's done."
Colman continued: "From the outside world looking at Great Britain, at the moment, we've got some comedy going on at one side — politics — and something so dignified. I felt proud to be British. I think he's going to do a good job."
Looking to the future of The Crown, Colman said she's keen to see Harry Potter's Imelda Staunton take over the role of Queen Elizabeth II in the show's fifth and sixth seasons.
"She will be incredible," Colman declared. "I can't wait to watch her."
The Crown season 5 will premiere in November 2022, while seasons 1-4 are now streaming on Netflix. Seasons 1-3 are also available on DVD and Blu-ray.
![The Crown - Season 1 & 2 [DVD] [2018]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1605277344-41cTH2ev65L.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "The Crown - Season 1 & 2 [DVD] [2018]")
Sony Pictures Entertainment/Left Bank Pictures The Crown - Season 1 & 2 [DVD] [2018]
Blink Publishing The Crown: The Inside History (volume 1) by Robert Lacey
![The Crown - Season 03 [DVD] [2020]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1605277496-41WxcDS9veL.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "The Crown - Season 03 [DVD] [2020]")
Sony Pictures Entertainment/Left Bank Pictures The Crown - Season 03 [DVD] [2020]
Blink Publishing The Crown: The Inside History (Volume 2) by Robert Lacey
![The Crown Season 4 [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1635170597-41sACUAfvpL._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "The Crown Season 4 [DVD]")
Sony Pictures Entertainment/Left Bank Pictures The Crown Season 4 [DVD]
