Meet the cast of The Crown
Everything you need to know about the cast and characters of Netflix's drama
Eileen Atkins – Queen Mary
The matriarch of the Royal Family, Queen Mary, is the last great link with the Victorian era. She is smart, strong willed and distant, but devoted to her duty as a former monarch and advisor to a future one.
“Queen Mary has a really strong relationship with Elizabeth,” says Atkins. “Queen Mary has a huge effect on the way Elizabeth II conducted herself when she took to the throne. Mary’s ideas would be considered deeply old-fashioned today, but nonetheless, I think they’ve served our Queen very well.”
Where do I recognise her from?
Olivier Award winner Dame Eileen Atkins is such a veteran of the stage and screen that it's a struggle to fit even a portion of her TV CV on to the internet. The co-creator of Upstairs Downstairs is probably best known to TV audiences now for her BAFTA-winning performance in Cranford, and younger viewers may remember her from Cold Mountain, What A Girl Wants or Russell Crowe's Robin Hood.
Alex Jennings - King Edward VIII / The Duke of Windsor
The late King's brother's abdication is said to have brought the monarchy to its knees so when he returns to London, the family isn't too pleased to see him...
Where do I recognise him from?
Triple Olivier Award winner Jennings is probably best known to audiences for his portrayal of Prince Charles in Peter Morgan's The Queen. His Royal CV is rather extensive, though, as he also played King Leopold of Belgium, uncle to Jenna Coleman's Victoria in the ITV drama of the same name. You may also have spotted him in Marple, Whitechapel and legal drama Silk.
Harriet Walter - Clementine Churchill
Winston's wife is a strong willed woman, who finds herself worrying for her husband's health as he takes office again in his latter years.
Where do I recognise her from?
With roles in Atonement, Little Dorret, Hard Times, Downton Abbey, Law and Order UK, London Spy and Macbeth to her name, Walter is a seasoned star of the TV screen. Oh, and you might also have spotted her nursing Chewbacca's wounds in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Jeremy Northam - Anthony Eden
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden is waiting in the wings to take over from his party leader, Winston Churchill, but the road to PM-ship is far from straight and smooth.
Where do I recognise him from?
Where don't you? Gwyneth Paltrow's Mr Knightley (in Emma) has been in all manner of film and TV productions, from Amistad and Gosford Park to The Tudors, White Heat and New Worlds.
