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The Crown star Lesley Manville reveals surprising reason she found playing Princess Margaret difficult

Season five is coming to Netflix in November


lesley crown© Photo: Getty Images
Eve Crosbie
TV & Film Writer
September 6, 2022
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The Crown star Lesley Manville has revealed the surprising reason she found taking on the role of Princess Margaret in the Netflix series difficult. 

MORE: The Crown season six casts Prince William and Kate Middleton

The 66-year-old actress, who is set to portray the Queen's late sister in the final years of her life in the upcoming fifth season of the royal drama and appeared on The One Show this week to discuss the role as well as her upcoming period comedy-drama Mrs Harris Goes to Paris.

WATCH: Imelda Staunton reveals the release date of The Crown series five

Asked which role was easier, she revealed that playing the working-class Mrs Harris came more naturally to her than the blue-blooded royal.

MORE: Everything the royal family have said about The Crown

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Explaining why, she said: "Well, it's only because I'm a working-class girl from Brighton, so the territory of Mrs Harris is kind of in my bones whereas [Princess Margaret is] the other end of the social scale - and let's face it, you couldn't get more aristocratic than the royal family."

margaret crown© Photo: Getty Images

Lesley will play the Queen's late sister in the final years of her life

"It is obviously not something that comes like that to me," she added, snapping her fingers. "But listen, that's what gets me up in the morning. I never want to play the same characters, so that chameleon range of parts that I'm offered suits me fine. I'm very grateful."

Lesley isn't the only new face joining The Crown season five as award-winning actress Imelda Staunton will be replacing Olivia Colman as the monarch.

MORE: Netflix's The Crown in talks to create prequel series - get the details

Meanwhile, after Emma Corrin's fantastic portrayal, Elizabeth Debicki will be her replacement to play an older Princess Diana, while Dominic West will play Prince Charles, and the Two Popes star Jonathan Pryce will take on the role of Prince Philip.

Season five is set to be released in November 2022 and will dramatise many of the most talked about events in modern royal history, including the Queen's 'annus horribulus' as well as the dissolution of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage and Diana's tragic death in 1997.

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