Elizabeth Debicki is set to make history as the first woman to portray Richard II in a Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production. The actress, known for her role as Diana, Princess of Wales, in the recent seasons of The Crown, will debut with the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2027.

At 36 years old, Debicki will take on the title role previously played by renowned actors such as David Tennant, Sir Derek Jacobi, Jeremy Irons, Sir Michael Redgrave, Sam West, and Alan Howard. Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, co-artistic directors of the RSC, praised Debicki’s ability to combine vulnerability and courage, expressing excitement about her casting. They noted that Debicki and director Daniel Raggett have been in discussions for several years and were pleased they could collaborate on the upcoming season.

Both Evans and Harvey highlighted the production’s exploration of leadership and the conflict between a public figure’s symbolic role and private identity, a theme that Debicki and Raggett find compelling. Raggett, marking his third RSC production, described his return as a professional milestone. He credited the artistic directors for fostering an environment where ambitious projects can flourish and lauded the company’s reputation as a hub for some of the world’s leading Shakespearean talent.

The announcement coincides with the RSC unveiling its summer 2027 season lineup, which includes four Shakespeare plays and two new works inspired by novels from Virginia Woolf and Susanna Clarke. The season will commence with a production of Coriolanus, featuring Damien Molony, known for his work in Bergerac and Two Weeks In August.