“ The Crown ” can only play a pair of Queens at the Emmys. Emmy winner Olivia Colman , who portrayed Queen Elizabeth in the series finale episode of Netflix ‘s monarchy drama, is not eligible to submit in the guest drama actress race by only a few seconds. However, her co-star Claire Foy , who also portrays Her Majesty in her younger years and appears in the same episode, is eligible and will be the sole guest submission for the series, angling for her second win in the category.

The “Sleep, Dearie Sleep,” written by Peter Morgan and directed by Stephen Daldry, clocks in at a robust 72 minutes, the longest of any episode across its six seasons. In the series’ final moments, Imelda Staunton’s Elizabeth looks back on the highs and lows of her reign as she grapples with the idea of handing the crown to Charles. Her younger self appears to her as a manifestation of her agitation, each having one-on-one moments with her in earlier scenes.

From Seasons 3 and 4, Colman’s queen encourages her to abdicate, recognizing her tiredness and the sacrifices of a service life. Then, from the first two seasons, Foy’s queen tells her that her monarchy is a duty that cannot be abandoned. Earlier this year, the Television Academy changed the rules for submitting in the guest acting categories , stating, “A brief cameo appearance is not eligible for entry.

” The rules further clarify the definition of a guest performer: “The minimum stand-alone and contiguous screen time (pe.