Three actresses have portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton. The series deliberately recast the role as the monarch aged across its six-season story.
Claire Foy played Elizabeth in seasons 1 and 2, covering the young queen’s early reign after the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952. Olivia Colman took over for seasons 3 and 4, portraying Elizabeth during the middle decades of her reign. Imelda Staunton played her in seasons 5 and 6, which depict the queen in later life.
The Crown generally changes its principal cast every two seasons rather than using extensive makeup to age the same performers. This approach also applied to characters such as Prince Philip and Princess Margaret, who were portrayed by three different actors each. Younger versions of Princess Elizabeth appear in flashbacks, but the three actresses above are the principal performers credited with portraying Queen Elizabeth II through the main timeline.