The Crown's Claudia Harrison reveals it took 'work' to play Princess Anne right

The actor who plays Princess Anne in the new series of The Crown has opened up about the challenges of playing the royal.

Claudia Harrison, 46, takes on the part of the Queen's daughter in the season five of the hit Netflix series.

She told the Mail on Sunday's You magazine how it took "work" to get the role of the princess right.

Harrison portrays the royal mother-of-two during scenes set in the 1990s, alongside scenes depicting the breakdown of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage.

Harrison said: "I did quite a bit of work. You can’t just pull Princess Anne out of the bag, can you?

"I did my hair and wore clothes that, I’m embarrassed to say, I already owned – a blazer, scarf and gilet – and got my husband to read in the parts of the Queen Mother, John Major, Charles and the Queen: he did all the voices."

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The actor, who has previously appeared in Humans and The IT Crowd, also gave an insight into the show's secretive auditioning process.

She said: "You get sent secret script pages through a website that is encrypted and you can’t print them out.

"You have to sign a non-disclosure agreement and promise not to tell anyone, though of course I told absolutely everyone."

Harrison, who herself has three children, takes over the role from fellow actor Erin Doherty who played the younger princess during the past two seasons.

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She added: "I'd be lying if I didn't see this as a big shift in my career, but I doubt I'll get as much media attention.

"Erin was at the start [of her career], she was amazing and it was a big part of making her a new star. I've been round the block a bit."

Watch: Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown handled Diana's death in a deeply caring way