IT IS one of the most expensive television series ever made by Netflix – and it even saw a Hampshire street get blown up.

Now The Crown, portraying the early life of our monarch Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, is to be aired by the online streaming service on November 4.

The series, which it is suggested cost more than £100million, saw part of Winchester city centre come to a standstill in January earlier this year.

The streets were awash with camera crews as filming of The Crown took place in Canon Street, College Street and Kingsgate Street.

Directors were filming a part of the series set during World War Two, in which they depicted the historic-city’s streets as 1940s London.

Hundreds of fans gathered to get a glimpse of the filming, which stars former Dr Who Matt Smith as a young Prince Philip and Claire Foy as Elizabeth.

The fans were greeted by a large bomb crater in front of The Wykeham Arms pub in Kingsgate Street, soldiers in Second World War uniforms, people in period fashion and war-time vehicles.

Filming also took place at the city’s famous Guildhall and at The Great Hall.

The show is written by Peter Morgan who also wrote Frost/Nixon and the 2006 Oscar-winning film The Queen.

It will focus on the Queen’s early reign, revealing personal intrigues, romances and political rivalries behind events that shaped the second half of the 20th century.

It will span 60 episodes over six series.

Cllr Fiona Mather who represents Winchester City Council’s St Michael ward, where the filming took place, briefly saw some of the action while walking her dog.

She said in January: “It’s really great that film makers want to come to Winchester.

“I was very impressed by how they has made the artificial bomb crater and by putting a mat down and putting rubble there.

Share article “Quite a lot of things have been filmed in Winchester and living around this area we are used to having these enormous lorries and canteens for the actors.”

But she said some residents have been concerned about parking and added; “Not everyone agrees with it but on the whole most people think it’s a price worth paying.”

To watch the series, a Netflix subscription is required.