Netflix has already become known for its hugely successful original series – from Orange is the New Black to Daredevil to Stranger Things and Narcos – but its new show has a distinctly British feel.

Premiering on the streaming service in November, The Crown is created by showrunner Peter Morgan, the Oscar-nominated writer of Frost/Nixon and 2006’s The Queen.

It focusses on the early years of Elizabeth II’s reign and has attracted a top cast that includes Claire Foy (Wolf Hall) as Her Majesty, Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as Prince Philip and John Lithgow (Third Rock from the Sun) as Winston Churchill.

Director Benjamin Caron, fresh from shooting the finale of the new series of Sherlock, was at the helm for two episodes.

He told us: “It’s an amazing, amazing production and written by the incredible Peter Morgan who has written The Queen and Frost/Nixon and I’ve been working with other directors like Stephen Daldry from Billy Elliot.”

He added: “It tells the story of two of the most famous addresses in the world – Downing Street and Buckingham Palace – and all of the love, intrigue and machinations that shaped events in the second half of the 20th century.”

And Caron was particularly impressed by Lithgow channelling our great former Prime Minister, who has previously been portrayed on screen by actors such as Timothy Spall (The King’s Speech), Albert Finney (The Gathering Storm) and Robert Hardy (a BAFTA winner for Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years).

Caron said: “It’s remarkable because normally it is Brits going to America to steal the great parts and we have got this great American coming over. I remember him not just from Third Rock from the Sun but Harry and the Hendersons.”

The Crown will delve into what happened (or may have happened) behind the scenes between the Windsors, but Caron is not concerned about incurring the wrath of the Palace and being thrown in the tower.

He said: “I think there have been so many documentaries, dramas made over the years about those two so I think this is just another one.

“Remember, Peter Morgan wrote The Queen and I think that went down quite well.”

This summer, Caron directed the live broadcast of Sir Kenneth Branagh’s West End production of Romeo and Juliet and he sees the parallel between The Crown and Shakespeare’s works.

He said: “This ties back to Shakespeare. One of his main subjects he used to write about was what happens to the human taken from being normal person to being a King or a Queen.

“He was fascinated by what happens and that is what happening in The Crown in some way.

“You take a small girl and suddenly you thrust her into this monarchy – what happens to this person. All of these things will be richly explored and will continue to be so, I guess.”

The Crown begins on Netflix on November 4.

Like our What's On page on Facebook for entertainment news, interviews, reviews and features from across south London.