Why did 'The Crown' viewership surge after Queen Elizabeth II's death?

Viewership for the Netflix series "The Crown" has increased more than 800% in the United Kingdom, according to Variety, since the end of Queen Elizabeth's historic 70-year reign on September 8. The series follows the monarch's life and momentous events that occurred in the Commonwealth during her time on the throne.

A report from Whip Media, a data analytics firm, showed that between Friday, September 9 and Sunday, September 11, the series' viewership in France was more than thrice its previous numbers and the U.S. viewership was more than quadrupled compared with the previous week. The firm also reports that worldwide, "The Crown" viewership increased nearly four times over the past weekend.

It seems that while the world continues to mourn the death of the longest-ruling British monarch in history, real-life interest in the monarchy and in Queen Elizabeth's reign has caused viewers around the world to binge-watch "The Crown" while awaiting news of the current power changes in England.

As a major head of state and public figure, the Queen's passing is a historical event and continues to elicit intense reactions across the globe. While "The Crown" is classified as historical fiction, its story is still a close recreation of her reign and some people have turned to watching the series as a way of paying their respects to the late monarch.

"The Crown" Season 6 is currently in production, while Season 5 is expected to debut on Netflix in November. Queen Elizabeth's death, has put the series' production on hiatus for the time being, and at present, it is unclear if this will impact the latest season's eventual release.

"The Crown" was created and principally written by Peter Morgan in 2016. It stands as one of the most prominent depictions of Queen Elizabeth in pop culture. As viewership of the series increases, the final two seasons are anticipated to serve as the ultimate tribute to the late monarch.