Which streaming service originally released The Crown?

The streaming service that originally released The Crown was Netflix.

Netflix commissioned and released the British-American historical drama as one of its major original productions. The first season premiered worldwide on November 4, 2016, introducing Peter Morgan’s dramatization of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the pressures surrounding the modern British monarchy.

The series was produced by Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television for Netflix. Its high production budget supported elaborate period sets, costumes, locations, and a large ensemble cast. Netflix also used a two-season casting structure: different actors portrayed the principal royal figures as the story moved through later decades.

The Crown is sometimes confused with a BBC production because it focuses heavily on British history and royal institutions. However, the BBC was not its original releasing platform; BBC iPlayer was only a distractor here. Netflix released all six seasons, with the final season arriving in two parts in 2023.