We said it once, and we’ll say 1000 more times: the casting directors of The Crown deserve all the praise! Showrunner Peter Morgan, along with casting directors Robert Sterne and Nina Gold, nailed it every single time when casting the right actors to play the real-life royals. Sometimes, they’d go directly to an actor that they think would be perfect for the role, and sometimes they do an international search looking for people that range from esteemed actors to drama novices. And each time, it paid off.
Despite the show being done, its impact on the royal fandom and television, in general, will be talked about for decades to come, we’re sure. Not only did people adore the writing and acting, but seriously, we need to talk about how the casting changed the game.
We know there were some controversial decisions made, but they ended up, for the most part, being wonderful decisions every time. In honor of award season being revived and ready to go, let’s talk about some of the amazing casting decisions that were made for The Crown. But we’re talking about a specific type of casting with The Crown.
While we believe the showrunner and casting directors did amazing every time, we want to highlight the women. We want to see the actresses side by side with their real royal counterparts and see just how amazing they did every time.
In honor of Princess Diana actors Emma Corrin and Elizabeth Debicki doing an Actors on Actors episode, let’s see the side-by-side snapshots of the actresses and their real royal counterparts.
A version of this article was originally published on Jan 2024.
Meg Bellamy as Kate Middleton
Meg Bellamy was cast as Kate Middleton, and many people wondered who the new actress was. Per USMagazine, she recalled how she saw the casting opportunity online and was encouraged by her neighbor to audition, saying she believed Bellamy looked like Kate.
“She thought that I looked like Kate,” Bellamy said. “I remember looking at the picture of Kate on the brief and trying to work out exactly where she’d applied her bronzer so that I could do it exactly right, trying to unleash my inner makeup artist. … Reading about her and listening to her was so important both before and during.”
She played Kate in the sixth and final season of The Crown.
Emma Corrin as Diana Princess of Wales
Per Elle, there was an international search to find the right Princess Diana, where they looked for actors, non-actors, and more to see who would give the role justice. Emma Corrin was then cast, and played the role throughout season four.
They won a Critics Choice Award, Golden Globe, and a SAG Award for their role.
(Also, we know Corrin identifies as non-binary, but Diana did identify as she/her so we’re counting it!)
Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana
Then Elizabeth Debicki was cast as Diana Princess of Wales for seasons five and six, and she was actually asked to take on the role.
“When [screenwriter] Peter Morgan asked me to do it I was quite overwhelmed,” she said on Good Morning America in 2020. “I think that I’m actually just incredibly excited to do it, and she’s such an incredibly important figure. She was such a remarkable human being and so the idea of stepping into it is daunting but very exciting.”
She has won a Golden Globe for her, has been nominated for a Critics Choice Award and two SAG Awards.
Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II
While some questioned if Claire Foy was the right choice for young Queen Elizabeth II, due to them not having many similar characteristics, her performance won everyone over. And as you can see with this side-by-side pic, it was marvelous casting!
Foy played Queen Elizabeth II from 2016 to 2018, and appeared a few times in the later seasons. She won two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe for her role, along with being nominated for two BAFTAs, a Critics Choice Award, and more.
Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II
Olivia Colman then replaced Claire Foy to play Queen Elizabeth II in season three to accommodate the time jump.
She played the role in season three, four, and appeared a few times in the later seasons. For her role, she won a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, and two SAG Awards.
Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II
For seasons five and six, Imelda Staunton was cast as Queen Elizabeth II. She was nominated for a BAFTA, two Golden Globes, and more for her role.
Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret
Beloved actress Vanessa Kirby was cast as Princess Margaret for seasons one and two. After she left the show, she revealed to People that she was in mourning over saying goodbye to the role, saying, “Oh my God, I’m in full grieving process. I just enjoyed how colorful and vivid she was. She wanted to identify as a princess more than any of them and also run away from that. I like how universal that sort of inner conflict is. Who I am? How do I find myself in the world I’ve been born into?”
She won a BAFTA, and was nominated for a Critics Choice Awards and two SAG Awards.
Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret
After Vanessa Kirby, Helena Bonham Carter was tapped in to play Princess Margaret for seasons three and four. For her tole, she was nominated for two BAFTAs, one Critics Choice Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards.
Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret
To play Princess Margaret in seasons five and six, The Crown showrunner Peter Morgan approached Lesley Manville to play the iconic role, per Deadline. For her role, she was nominated for an ensemble cast SAG Award.
Erin Doherty as Princess Anne
To Princess Anne, the showrunners cast Erin Doherty for seasons three and four. She won two ensemble SAG Awards.
Claudia Harrison as Princess Anne
Then, to play Princess Anne in seasons five and six, they cast Claudia Harrison. She was nominated for an ensemble SAG Award.
Emerald Fennell as Camilla Parker Bowles
For the role of Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Camilla, they tapped Emerald Fennell to play her in seasons three and four. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy and won an ensemble SAG Award for her role.
Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles
For the final two seasons of the show, Olivia Williams was cast as Camilla Parker Bowles. She was nominated for an ensemble SAG Award.
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