Netflix's first show from the UK could be a £100m drama about the Queen

Netflix is going big on original programming: House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black are proof of that. However, no such content has so far come out of the UK. That could be about to change, after the streaming giant reportedly beat both the BBC and ITV to secure a new 20 episode biopic of the Queen, corgis and all. According to Broadcast Now, Netflix is on the verge of finalising a £100 million deal for the series, titled The Crown, which will centre on the Queen's "ascent to the throne at the age of 26, to the present day."

While recent releases depicting the royal family, including Diana, were widely panned, Netflix's new commission has a fair shot at success. It shares the same esteemed writers and directors that were behind the critically-acclaimed 2006 film The Queen, starring Helen Mirren. A monarch-filled drama might not be on the top of everyone's binge-watch list, but Netflix is set to go hard by allocating a £5 million budget per episode -- besides, who doesn't like a bit of royal scandal?

[Image credit:bisgovuk, Flickr]