TV royalty: £100million drama The Crown descends on Trafalgar Square to film second season... after Netflix debut is met with rave reviews

It is the most expensive television series to have ever been produced, with a budget of £100million.

And Netflix's The Crown is certainly not holding back with its second series - as it took over the entirety of Trafalgar Square on Sunday to begin filming for the next installment.

The show, starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith, has already been recommissioned for a second season, after its debut last week was met with the highest praise.

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No expense spared: Netflix's The Crown took over the entirety of Trafalgar Square on Sunday to begin filming its second series - not holding back on its £100million budget

Depicting a chaotic war rally in the iconic London location, the £100million drama spared no expense as they clad their extensive cast in authentic period dress for the extravagant scene.

Closing off the tourist attraction for the shoot, the famous square was flooded with actors dressed as photographers and journalists in suits, coats and hats of the 1960s fashion.

These extras were then joined by a large group of policeman, who sported the traditional, high-quality uniforms worn back in the day - complete with the hard hats and embellished acheivements on their jackets.

Impact: Taking centre stage was an actor giving a speech to the hundreds of people present from the heights of the square

Realistic: Depicting a war rally, the £100million drama spared no expense as they clad their extensive cast in authentic period dress for the extravagant scene

Taking centre stage was an actor, perhaps portraying a politician or radical party leader, giving a speech to the hundreds of people present from the heights of the square.

The scope of the show was later seen as the actors relaxed between takes by the huge fountain - spanning the huge expanse to give the impression the whole location had gone back in time.

Despite playing Queen Elizabeth and husband Prince Philip on the series, which is the most expensive show to have ever been produced, stars Claire Foy and Matt Smith were not present on set. 

Takeover: The scope of the show was later seen as the actors relaxed by the huge fountain - spanning the huge expanse to give the impression the whole location had gone back in time

Classic characters: Extras were then joined by a large group of policeman, who sported the traditional, high-quality uniforms worn back in the day

Set against the backdrop of a Great Britain still recovering from the aftermath of World War II, the thrilling drama follows a young Queen Elizabeth (Foy) facing enormous responsibilities to Crown and country.

The drama promises a look at the intrigue, love lives and machinations behind the most notable events, after it was billed as the 'the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world – Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.'

The first series, which begins before Elizabeth's ascension in 1952 and runs until 1955, made its debut on Netflix on Friday - and was immediately met with rave reviews from fans and critics alike.

Day off: Despite playing Queen Elizabeth and husband Prince Philip on the series, stars Claire Foy and Matt Smith were not present on set

Powerful: The cast then held on to hundreds of handwritten protest signs and incredibly intricate vintage cameras for the mesmerising scene 

Christopher Stephens for the Daily Mail called the first episode 'a sumptuous display of small-screen splendour' and deemed the series 'so breathtaking that you’ll want to wolf it all down in a weekend, and then return to savour every moment.' 

The Guardian then confirmed that the staggering budget had been more than worth it, with leading lady Foy 'managing to register every layer of misery and frustration as Elizabeth' while the remaining cast were 'uniformly excellent'.   

The show was also met with high praise from US critics too - making the British production an overwhelming success.

Retelling history: The drama promises a look at the intrigue, love lives and machinations behind the most notable events

Hooked: The first series made its debut on Netflix on Friday - and was immediately met with rave reviews from fans and critics alike

The Hollywood Reporter said: 'While it lacks for nudity and dragons and bloody upheavals, Netflix's new series The Crown makes a solid argument for the exercise of power as the stuff of compelling drama in its own right.

'The Crown is surely Netflix's strongest push yet into the realm of prestige drama,' it concluded, adding it will be a 'real player' when awards season rolls round.

Then the NY Times observed that while Claire Foy's Queen-Elizabeth II isn't 'the kind of hard-living, bloodthirsty ruler who makes for frothy television... Netflix, doesn’t try to pretend that she is'. 

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair added that it was a 'dynastic family drama, told on an extravagant scale'. 

Leading man Matt Smith even praised the show's writing, admitting on BBC Radio 2 last week: 'The script is very good. He’s clever that writer, Peter Morgan. Even if you think you know the story... you don’t.'  

Star: The show, starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith, has already been recommissioned for a second season, after its debut last week was met with the highest praise

 

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