Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret in a scene from season 5 of “The Crown,” premiering Nov. 9 on Netflix.
Keith Bernstein | Netflix (TNS)
Sunday Best
“The Crown” returns to Netflix in its fifth season on Nov. 9, in a time of great upheaval for the British monarchy both on screen (the season takes place in the 1990s, as Charles and Diana’s marriage publicly crumbles) and in the present day. Costume designer Amy Roberts will be showing us some familiar looks this season — Diana’s famous black “revenge dress” will make an appearance — but I was particularly taken by this picture. The great Lesley Manville (“Phantom Thread,” “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”) takes over the role of Princess Margaret, and the costume and set decoration here tell us all we need to know: this woman is bored, she drinks too much (her elegant silk robe is a similar tone to her cocktail), and she matches her decor so precisely she almost seems to be disappearing into it. It’s an entire story in one shot; a sad symphony in taupe.
