Who plays John Major in season 5 of The Crown?

Jonny Lee Miller plays John Major in season 5 of The Crown.

Major was the Conservative prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 to 1997, making his premiership a natural part of the season’s historical setting. Season 5 covers the early and mid-1990s, including the political and personal upheavals surrounding the royal family after the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage.

Miller’s casting is sometimes confused with other British political roles in the series. Jason Watkins plays Harold Wilson in season 3, while Bertie Carvel portrays Tony Blair in season 6 and appears in a featured capacity around the end of season 5. Michael Maloney has also played John Major in another production, which may explain the mix-up.

The series dramatizes private conversations and political encounters, so its depiction should not be treated as a literal transcript of history. Major himself criticized a fictional storyline involving an alleged discussion with Prince Charles about removing the Queen. The actor nevertheless portrays the real prime minister during the period covered by the season.