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The Crown's Prince Andrew actor speaks out about taking on controversial role

James Murray will be playing the Duke of York in the Netflix show

crown james murray
Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
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Cast and crew on Netflix’s smash-hit show The Crown is currently underway and the actor set to play Prince Andrew in the upcoming fifth series has officially been confirmed as James Murray.

MORE: The Crown fans outraged after Prince William actor cast - find out why

The actor, who is best-known for his previous TV roles in shows such as Cutting It, was appearing on Tuesday’s edition of This Morning alongside his wife, actress Sarah Parish (Stay Close, W1A), when he opened up about playing the Duke of York for the first time.

WATCH: Imelda Staunton reveals The Crown season five release date

Presenter Phillip Schofield asked: "So you’re playing Prince Andrew?" to which James responded coyly: "I can confirm that I am playing a character called Andrew Windsor in The Crown."

MORE: Everything the royal family have said about The Crown

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Phillip continued: "And this is the Major years we’re up to now, the 90s, the divorce, and how do you feel about it?"

James mused: "How do I feel? Well, if I’m being professional it’s not really my job to feel too much or judge the character, and remember we’re in the 90s, before all the things that we know now."

jjames murray© Photo: Rex

James Murray has confirmed that he will be playing Prince Andrew

He continued: "So it’s like, you know, I just have to read what’s on the page, do my research and play that quasi-fictional character. Because otherwise, it’s just going to get in the way."

According to reports, upcoming actress Emma Laird Craig will star opposite James as his on-screen wife, Sarah, Duchess of York.

MORE: Gugu Mbatha-Raw responds to speculation she could play Meghan Markle in The Crown

As with previous series, The Crown have summoned a brand new cast to take on the royal leading roles. Playing alongside James Murray are stars such as Imelda Staunton, who will be portraying the monarch, and Jonathan Pryce, who will star as the late Duke of Edinburgh.

Meanwhile, other big names such as The Night Manager star Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West are set to star in the new series, portraying the parts of Princess Diana and Prince Charles respectively. The cast will make their debut in Netflix drama when it lands on the streaming platform in November 2022. 

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