diff --git a/.changeset/fresh-walls-impress.md b/.changeset/fresh-walls-impress.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..08ccded75c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fresh-walls-impress.md
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+---
+'@backstage/app-defaults': patch
+'@backstage/core-app-api': patch
+'@backstage/core-components': patch
+'@backstage/core-plugin-api': patch
+'@backstage/dev-utils': patch
+'@backstage/integration-react': patch
+'@backstage/test-utils': patch
+'@backstage/version-bridge': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-allure': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-analytics-module-ga': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-api-docs': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-azure-devops': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-badges': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-bazaar': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-bitrise': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog-graph': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog-import': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog-react': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-circleci': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-cloudbuild': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-code-coverage': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-config-schema': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-cost-insights': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-explore': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-firehydrant': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-fossa': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-gcp-projects': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-git-release-manager': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-github-actions': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-github-deployments': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-gitops-profiles': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-graphiql': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-home': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-ilert': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-jenkins': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-kafka': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-kubernetes': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-lighthouse': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-newrelic': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-org': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-pagerduty': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-permission-react': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-rollbar': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-scaffolder': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-search': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-sentry': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-shortcuts': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-sonarqube': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-splunk-on-call': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-tech-insights': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-tech-radar': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-techdocs': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-todo': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-user-settings': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-xcmetrics': patch
+---
+
+Moved React dependencies to `peerDependencies` and allow both React v16 and v17 to be used.
diff --git a/.changeset/serious-buckets-lay.md b/.changeset/serious-buckets-lay.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..70afc7ae76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/serious-buckets-lay.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/cli': patch
+---
+
+Updated the frontend plugin template to put React dependencies in `peerDependencies` by default, as well as allowing both React v16 and v17. This change can be applied to existing plugins by running `yarn backstage-cli plugin:diff` within the plugin package directory.