Meet the cast of The Crown season 4

There are marriages and betrayals and politicians aplenty, as you can read about in our four-star The Crown review; the show was also filmed in a huge variety of locations, as you can read in our guide to where The Crown was filmed.

But, of course, we also follow the stories of key characters including Prince Charles (Josh O'Connor), Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter) and Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies).

Here are all the key characters for season four – and where you've seen them before.

Olivia Colman plays Queen Elizabeth II

Who is Queen Elizabeth II? Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. She came to the throne in 1952 and has been there ever since.

What else has Olivia Colman been in? Olivia Colman is already acting royalty. She recently won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite (2018), adding it to her collection of awards including four BAFTAs and two Golden Globes. Colman has previously starred as Carol Thatcher in The Iron Lady, Godmother in Fleabag, Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables, DS Ellie Miller in Broadchurch, Angela Burr in The Night Manager, and Sophie Chapman in Peep Show. We could go on but let’s leave it there.

Previously played by: Claire Foy

Tobias Menzies plays Prince Philip

Who is Prince Philip? Also known by the title Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. In seasons one and two he was played by Matt Smith.

What else has Tobias Menzies been in? The actor is perhaps best known for playing Frank and Jack Randall in Outlander. He has also played Edmure Tully in Game of Thrones, Dr Harries in Catastrophe, Villiers in James Bond movie Casino Royale, and James Fitzjames in The Terror. Like his The Crown co-star Olivia Colman, he starred in The Night Manager – playing Geoffrey Dromgoole.

Previously played by: Matt Smith

Josh O'Connor plays Prince Charles

Who is Prince Charles? Charles, Prince of Wales, is Queen Elizabeth's eldest son and the heir to the British throne. He was educated at Gordonstoun (as we saw in The Crown season two, which told the story of young Prince Charles) and Cambridge, then served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. During that time, his ex-girlfriend Camilla Shand married, and finally in 1981 Charles (now 32 years old) found a wife too – Lady Diana Spencer, with whom he had sons William and Harry.

As we see in season four, Charles and Diana's marriage was rocky. they divorced in 1996 and Diana died in a car crash the following year. Charles has since married his long-term partner Camilla.

What else has Josh O'Connor been in? Rising star Josh O’Connor starred alongside Keeley Hawes in The Durrells, playing her character’s eldest son Lawrence. He won a British Independent Film Award for his portrayal of Johnny Saxby in 2017 movie God’s Own Country, and starred as Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables. Other credits include Ripper Street, Peaky Blinders, and Florence Foster Jenkins.

Emma Corrin plays Princess Diana

Who was Princess Diana? Lady Diana Spencer became Princess Diana when she married Prince Charles in 1981. Though they soon had two boys, William and Harry, the marriage eventually broke down. Diana died in a shock accident in 1997, aged just 36.

In season four, we watch as Diana undergoes the Balmoral Test; we follow the ins and outs of Charles and Diana's marriage; and we also see the development of Princess Diana's bulimia.

What else has Emma Corrin been in? The young actress is a relative newcomer to our screens, and The Crown is a huge breakout role for her. She's previously played Esme Winikus in Pennyworth, and made an appearance as a character called Esther Carter in Grantchester.

Emerald Fennell plays Camilla Parker Bowles

Who is Camilla Parker Bowles? In season three she was "Camilla Shand", but in season four she's going by her married name: Camilla Parker Bowles. After a relationship with the young Prince Charles, Camilla instead married her on-off boyfriend Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973. That was not, however, the end of the relationship between Prince Charles and Camilla.

Camilla divorced in 1995, and married Charles in 2005 – taking on the tile of Duchess of Cornwall.

What else has Emerald Fennell been in? Call the Midwife fans will know Emerald Fennell as Nurse Patsy Mount. Since leaving that show, she has served as showrunner for Killing Eve season two, taking over the reins from Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Fennell also made an appearance in the TV series Victoria as Ada Lovelace.

Gillian Anderson plays Margaret Thatcher

Who was Margaret Thatcher? The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990, and the first woman ever to hold that office. She was a Conservative, and was dubbed the "Iron Lady" for her uncompromising stance. Thatcher died in 2013 at the age of 87. The Queen and Thatcher had a sometimes-difficult relationship, clashing on issues including sanctions on apartheid South Africa.

What else has Gillian Anderson been in? The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress starred as Dana Scully in The X Files, and also led the cast of The Fall as Stella Gibson. She currently plays Jean Milburn in Sex Education, and is also known for movies and TV shows including War & Peace, American Gods, Hannibal, Great Expectations, and Bleak House.

Helena Bonham Carter plays Princess Margaret

Who was Princess Margaret? Queen Elizabeth's little sister, previously played in The Crown by Vanessa Kirby. After the romance between Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend came to an end, Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 and had two kids. Princess Margaret's marriage ended in divorce in 1978; she never remarried, but was romantically linked with various men, including Roddy Llewellyn.

Princess Margaret's health problems became serious in the mid-1980s. She died in 2002, just weeks before her mother also passed away.

What else has Helena Bonham Carter been in? Well, a lot of movies. She was Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter films, and is also known for Alice in Wonderland, Howards End, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The King’s Speech, Enid, The Wings of the Dove, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd, Fight Club… the list goes on.

Previously played by: Vanessa Kirby

Erin Doherty plays Princess Anne

Who is Princess Anne? The second child (and only daughter) of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband. As a horse-riding enthusiast and equestrian, she is the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympics, and she was actually voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1971. Anne married Captain Mark Phillips in 1973 and had two kids (Peter and Zara). Princess Anne's marriage was not a wild success; she and Mark divorced in 1992, and she married her mother's former equerry, Sir Timothy Laurence.

What else has Erin Doherty been in? This acting newcomer played Fabienne in the TV adaptation of Les Misérables (alongside her The Crown co-star Josh O’Connor) and also made a guest appearance in an episode of Call the Midwife.

Marion Bailey plays the Queen Mother

Who was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother? The wife of King George VI (as played by Jared Harris), and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. While her husband had died aged 51, Elizabeth lived to 101 and was viewed as the matriarch of the royal family.

What else has Marion Bailey been in? The actress starred alongside Timothy Spall in Mr Turner, playing Sophia Booth. Her film credits include All or Nothing, Vera Drake, Allied, and Meantime, while TV shows include Temple and Britannia.

Previously played by: Victoria Hamilton

Charles Dance plays Lord Mountbatten

Who was Lord Mountbatten? A Royal Navy officer and statesman, who was Prince Philip's uncle and was also distantly related to Queen Elizabeth II. He was a Commander in the Second World War, and became the last Viceroy of India in 1947 (and the first Governor-General of India after independence). After returning to the UK he continued his military career – becoming First Sea Lord, Admiral of the Fleet, then Chief of the Defence Staff. He was killed in an IRA bombing in 1979; Lord Mountbatten's death is covered in season four.

What else has Charles Dance been in? With an acting career dating back to the early 1970s, Charles Dance has been in a lot of movies and TV shows. He starred as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, and is also known for roles in The Jewel in the Crown, The Golden Child, Alien 3, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and The Imitation Game. Recently, he's played Frederick Fairlie in The Woman in White, Commander Picton in The Little Drummer Girl, and Martin Benson in The Widow.

Stephen Boxer plays Denis Thatcher

Who was Denis Thatcher? Denis Thatcher was Margaret Thatcher's husband. He was the first male spouse of a UK Prime Minister.

What else has Stephen Boxer been in? Stephen Boxer has actually helped tell the story of Thatcher before, appearing as John Sergeant in the TV movie Thatcher: The Final Days. He is perhaps best known for playing Dr Joe Fenton in the TV series Doctors; since leaving that role in 2010, he's starred as David Elster in Humans and appeared in shows including The Five, Poldark, and Luther.

Freddie Fox plays Mark Thatcher

Who is Mark Thatcher? The son of Denis and Margaret Thatcher. He and Carol are twins, born in 1953, and were in their mid-twenties when their mother became Prime Minister. As we see in The Crown, he hit the headlines in 1982 when Mark Thatcher went missing in the Sahara Desert for six days during the Paris-Dakar Rally. Mark's early business career raised questions about whether he had benefitted from his mother's job; he ultimately left the UK in 1986, married the following year, moved around the world, and built up a huge fortune.

What else has Freddie Fox been in? Freddie Fox started out appearing in TV shows including The Shadow Line, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Parade's End; he went on to play King Louis in The Three Musketeers, James in The Riot Club, Finnegan in Victor Frankenstein, and Freddie Baxter in both Banana and Cucumber. Recently he's starred as Jeremy Bamber in White House Farm, and Wilbur Strauss in comedy series Year of the Rabbit – and he's also leant his voice to Dennis the Menace and Captain Holly in Watership Down. He is related to both Emilia Fox (of Silent Witness) and Laurence Fox.

Rebecca Humphries plays Carol Thatcher

Who is Carol Thatcher? Carol Thatcher is the daughter of Denis and Margaret Thatcher At the time her mother became PM, she was working as a journalist – a career she began in Australia and continued in the UK. She's spent a lot of her life telling the Thatcher family story, writing biographies of both her parents and even producing a documentary. Carol has also made forays into reality TV, winning I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2005.

What else has Rebecca Humphries been in? She starred as Caroline in the TV series Trigonometry, and has also recently been seen in Hold the Sunset and Friday Night Dinner. Other credits include Morgana Robinson's the Agency, Cockroaches, and Big Bad World.

Georgie Glen plays Ruth Lady Fermoy

Who was Ruth Lady Fermoy? Lady Fermoy was Diana's grandmother on her mother's side. She was one of the Queen Mother's ladies in waiting.

What else has Georgie Glen been in? The Scottish actress currently stars as Doctor Turner's receptionist Miss Millicent Higgins in Call the Midwife, and as Lady Grenford in Hetty Feather. She's had a prolific television career, with credits including The Victim, Defending the Guilty, Sally4Ever, Damned, The Collection, Silent Witness, Desperate Romantics, Heartbeat, and Waterloo Road (in which she played Audrey McFall).

Tom Byrne plays Prince Andrew

Who is Prince Andrew? The third child and second son of the Queen and Prince Philip. He went into the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot, fought in the Falklands War, and – in 1986 – married Sarah Ferguson ("Fergie") and was given the title "Duke of York". They had two children but divorced after a decade of marriage.

What else has Tom Byrne been in? Playing Prince Andrew in The Crown is a big breakout role for Tom Byrne, who is a relatively recent graduate of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In 2018 he appeared in an episode of Black Mirror, and he also played the role of Anthony in A Discovery of Witches.

Angus Imrie plays Prince Edward

Who is Prince Edward? Elizabeth and Philip's youngest son. While he was in the background in season three, we get to know him a bit better in season four as he nears the end of his schooldays at Gordonstoun.

What else has Angus Imrie been in? Angus Imrie is the son of the actors Celia Imrie and Benjamin Whitrow, and has been performing on stage and screen since he was a young child. Now in his mid-twenties, he is the voice of Josh Archer in BBC Radio 4 soap The Archers, and has been in shows including Station Jim, Kingdom, Restless, The Hollow Crown, and Father Brown. In 2019 he starred in The Kid Who Would be King alongside Patrick Stewart.

Isobel Eadie plays Lady Sarah Spencer

Who is Lady Sarah Spencer? One of Diana's older sisters. Prince Charles dated Diana's sister Sarah Spencer in the late 70s, but ultimately went on to marry a man called Neil Edmund McCorquodale.

What else has Isobel Eadie been in? She appeared in the TV series Casting Directors.

Geoffrey Breton plays Mark Phillips

Who is Mark Phillips? Princess Anne's (first) husband. He is an Olympic gold-winning horseman and a leading figure in equestrian circles, so he had that in common with his wife. However, they divorced in 1992 after 19 years of marriage and two children (Peter and Zara).

What else has Geoffrey Breton been in? Early roles included Peter Van Daan in the TV series The Diary of Anne Frank, and Ben Trotter from The Rotters' Club. His other credits include Inspector George Gently, Blue Murder, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and upcoming drama The Serpent.

Tom Burke plays Dazzle Jennings

Who was Dazzle Jennings? Derek "Dazzle" Jennings was a charismatic and eccentric man who left the Civil Service to train as a Catholic priest. In The Crown, his storyline centres around a friendship with Princess Margaret.

What else has Tom Burke been in? He is the star of the TV series Strike, playing the detective Cormoran Strike, and is also well-known for playing Athos in The Musketeers. Other key roles have included Fedya Dolokhov in War & Peace, Bill Kendall in The Hour, Anthony in The Souvenir, Billy in Only God Forgives, and William Ramsden in Responsible Child.

Tom Brooke plays Michael Fagan

Who is Michael Fagan? Michael Fagan is the Buckingham Palace intruder who entered Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom one morning in 1982, in a massive breach of royal security.

What else has Tom Brooke been in? Tom Brooke starred as sniper Andy Apsted in the TV series Bodyguard. He also starred in Preacher as the character Fiore, and has appeared in Dark Heart (as DC Rick Johnson), The Boat that Rocked (as Thick Kevin), The Death of Stalin (as Sergei), and Sherlock (as Bill Wiggins).

Charles Edwards plays Martin Charteris

Who was Martin Charteris? Martin Charteris was appointed Private Secretary to then-Princess Elizabeth in 1950. When she became Queen he spent two years working as her Assistant Private Secretary under Sir Michael Adeane, until Adeane retired and he stepped up to Private Secretary.

Charteris left that role in 1977 (although he gets to stay on far longer in The Crown!), and later gave an unexpectedly-candid interview to The Spectator in which he described Prince Charles as "such a charming man, when he isn’t being whiny, which he can be, rather." (He said he was never scolded for those remarks by his old boss the Queen, who visited him just before his death in 1999.)

What else has Charles Edwards been in? The actor starred as Lady Edith's doomed lover Michael Gregson in Downton Abbey, and has since appeared in The Halcycon, The Terror, and Sherlock (as David Welsborough in the episode The Six Thatchers). Charles Edwards previously played Diana Princess of Wales's private secretary Patrick Jephson in the 2013 movie Diana.

Previously played by: Harry Hadden-Paton

Andrew Buchan plays Andrew Parker Bowles

Who is Andrew Parker Bowles? The man who went on to marry Charles' ex-girlfriend, Camilla Shand – who became Camilla Parker Bowles. Andrew's parents were close friends with the Queen Mother, and he actually served as a page at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. When he hit adulthood he joined the military, and in the '70s and '80s he played on Prince Charles' polo team; he also dated Princess Anne, but he'd had an on-off relationship with Camilla – and in 1973 they were married. The two have since divorced and both remarried.

What else has Andrew Buchan been in? The actor played Mark Latimer in Broadchurch, and Franklin Clarke in Agatha Christie adaptation The ABC Murders. He starred as John Paul Getty II in kidnapping drama All the Money in the World, alongside Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer and Mark Wahlberg.

Jessica Aquilina plays Sarah Ferguson

Who is Sarah Ferguson? Sarah Ferguson, nicknamed "Fergie", married Prince Andrew in 1986 and became the Duchess of York. They had two daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, but divorced in 1996 – though they remained on good terms.

What else has Jessica Aquilina been in? This is her first on-screen role, but she's also a stage performer and puppeteer.

Nicholas Farrell plays Michael Shea

Who was Michael Shea? Press secretary to the Queen from 1978 through till 1987. In 1986, there was a hunt for a "mole" within the Palace who had fed a story to a journalist at The Sunday Times indicating that the Queen was dismayed by Thatcher's policies – Shea was confirmed as the source, but insisted his comments had been misreported, as you can read more about in our feature on the Queen and Thatcher. He left the job the following year. Shea was also a prolific writer, publishing 14 novels and five works of non-fiction.

What else has Nicholas Farrell been in? Quite a lot of things; he has 140 screen credits to his name and is also a veteran of the stage. He was Airey Neave in The Iron Lady, and Aubrey Montague in Chariots of Fire; he was Nevill Bamber in recent true crime drama White House Farm, and Brian Green in Torchwood, Edmund Bertram in Mansfield Park, and Albert Dussel in The Diary of Anne Frank.

Richard Roxburgh plays Bob Hawke

Who is Bob Hawke? The Australian Prime Minister (and Leader of the Labor Party) from 1983 to 1992. We meet him in The Crown during the episode following Diana and Charles' Australia tour.

What else has Richard Roxburgh been in? The Australian actor played The Duke in the 2001 movie Moulin Rouge! and was Count Vladislaus Dracula in Van Helsing. He recently starred as Grigory Orlov in Catherine the Great, and his many other credits include Mission: Impossible II, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Hunting, and Rake. When it came to casting, this must have been an easy one; he previously starred as Bob Hawke in the 2010 TV movie, Hawke.

Harry Treadaway plays Roddy Llewellyn

Who is Roddy Llewellyn? A landscape gardener and writer, and the son of Olympic show jumping gold medallist Sir Harry Llewellyn. In 1973, at the age of 25, he began an affair with 43-year-old Princess Margaret; it lasted for eight years.

What else has Harry Treadaway been in? He starred as Dr Victor Frankenstein in the TV series Penny Dreadful, and played Brady Hartsfield in Mr Mercedes and Narek in 2020's Star Trek: Picard. And if you're convinced you've seen him in some other TV shows like Ordeal by Innocence or Traitors or Fortitude, or movies like A Street Cat Named Bob, you're not going mad: Harry actually has a twin brother, Luke Treadaway, who is also an actor.

Nancy Carroll plays Anne Tennant

Who is Anne Tennant? Anne and her husband Colin Tennant were part of the British aristocracy and were close friends of Princess Margaret. They owned the island of Mustique in the Grenadines, and Anne was Margaret's lady-in-waiting. Anne, who now goes by the name Anne Glenconner, recently published a book about her life; of her relationship with Margaret, she wrote: "She was used to being treated with the utmost respect – everybody else bowed and curtsied to her and called her 'Ma'am', although she would sign off with 'Margaret' in letters to friends. I never minded: her father had been King Emperor, she was royal, so it wasn't surprising she had 'royal moments'. The formalities never interfered with our friendship."

What else has Nancy Carroll been in? She has played Lady Felicia in Father Brown since 2013, and appeared as Mary Collins in TV series Prime Suspect 1973.

Daniel Donskoy plays James Hewitt

Who is James Hewitt? A former cavalry officer in the British Army, who had an affair with Princess Diana for around five years, beginning in 1986. While he was still in the Household Cavalry, he had given her horse riding lessons.

What else has Daniel Donskoy been in? The Russian-born German actor has appeared in shows including Detectorists (as Peter), Victoria (as the Grand Duke), SS-GB, and Strike Back.

Tony Jayawardena plays Sir Sonny Ramphal

Who is Sir Sonny Ramphal? A Guyanese politician who served as Commonwealth Secretary-General from 1975 to 1990.

What else has Tony Jayawardena been in? He starred in the West End musical version of Bend it Like Beckham, among many other stage appearances. On TV, he plays Rashid Hyatt in Ackley Bridge and Mr Michaels in Netflix comedy The Duchess; he also made an appearance in that other royal TV show, The Windsors, playing a character called Sandy.

Jay Webb plays Wayne Sleep

Who is Wayne Sleep? A dancer, director, TV personality and choreographer who once performed a special duet with Princess Diana – as you can read about in our article on Princess Diana's Uptown Girl dance.

What else has Jay Webb been in? A dancer and actor who trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and National Youth Ballet. Since then he's performed in a number of state productions including Cats, The Wizard of Oz, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; he also appeared in a ballet directed by Wayne Sleep himself.

Eva Feiler plays Young Margaret Thatcher

What else has Eva Feiler been in? Her TV credits include Father Brown, and she's also voiced Chloe in The Archers.

Annette Badland plays Doctor Margaret Meagarty

Who is Dr Margaret Meagarty? A doctor who, in The Crown, works at a hospital in New York where Princess Diana visits young AIDS patients.

What else has Annette Badland been in? What a fun surprise to see Annette Badland cropping up in The Crown! The actress is a stalwart of British TV, having starred in EastEnders (as Babe Smith), Doctor Who (as Margaret Blaine), and Midsomer Murders (as Fleur Perkins). She's also been in Ted Lasso, Outlander, Bergerac, Cutting It, and The Archers.

Paul Jesson plays Sir Geoffrey Howe

Who was Geoffrey Howe? A Conservative politician who was Margaret Thatcher's longest-serving Cabinet Minister, holding posts including Chancellor and Foreign Secretary. He resigned in November 1990, exacerbating a crisis which led to Thatcher's own resignation as PM three weeks later.

What else has Paul Jesson been in? Though perhaps best-known for his Olivier Award-winning stage performances, Paul Jesson has appeared in quite a number of TV shows including The Trial of Christine Keeler, Chewing Gum, and Vera.

Don Gallagher plays Willie Whitelaw

Who was Willie Whitelaw? A Conservative politician who worked closely with Thatcher; she famously said that "every Prime Minister needs a Willie." Poor health forced him to retire in 1988.

What else has Don Gallagher been in? You may recognise him as the Parfumier from Killing Eve, or as the Doctor from The English Game, or from appearances in Victoria, Poldark, Endeavour and other TV shows.

Alana Ramsey plays Sarah Lindsay

Who is Sarah Lindsay? Born Sarah Brennan, she married Hugh Lindsay in 1987. He was a career soldier who had previously been Equerry to the Queen, and she worked in the press office at the Palace. On 10th March 1988, eight months after their wedding, Prince Charles was caught in an avalanche while on a skiing holiday in Switzerland; while Charles survived, his good friend Hugh was killed at the age of 34. Sarah was seven months pregnant at the time, and soon gave birth to a daughter. She later remarried.

What else has Alana Ramsey been in? Credits include Bulletproof, Doc Martin, and Belle.

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Marc Ozall plays John Major

Who is John Major? The Prime Minister who replaced Margaret Thatcher in 1990. He remained in office until 1997; we're likely to see more of him in The Crown season five, although he'll presumably be played by a different actor when the cast changes over.

What else has Marc Ozall been in? Credits include Original Ganster, King of Crime, and The Final Scream.

Richard Goulding plays Edward Adeane

Who was Edward Adeane? Private secretary to the Prince of Wales from 1979. In the tabloids he was reported to have clashed with Princess Diana over whether she could take William with her on the 1983 royal tour of Australia and New Zealand. There was also allegedly friction between him and Prince Charles; he resigned in 1985.

And if the name sounds familiar, that's because Edward was born into a family of courtiers; he was the son of the Queen's Private Secretary Michael Adeane, played first in The Crown by Will Keen (seasons 1-2) and then by David Rintoul (season 3) until his retirement in 1972.

What else has Richard Goulding been in? He is best-known for playing another royal role: that of Prince Harry, in both play-turned-TV-movie King Charles III and Channel 4 comedy The Windsors. Other recent credits have included Belgravia (as Oliver Trenchard), White House Farm (as David Boutflour), Traitors (as Jerry Roxborough), Brexit: The Uncivil War (as Boris Johnson), and Fresh Meat (as Tomothy). Richard Goulding also played Freddie Foster in the movie Me Before You.

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, visit our TV Guide, or find out about upcoming new TV shows 2020.