Honeysuckle Weeks says she was ‘supposed to play the Queen in The Crown’

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Actor Honeysuckle Weeks has revealed that she was “supposed” to play Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown but lost out to Claire Foy during a period of bad mental health. “I was also supposed to play the Queen in The Crown – the role that Claire Foy eventually got – but I was on the verge of mania and about to have the first of my psychotic episodes. Claire Foy in ‘The Crown’ Speaking to The Sun, a source close to the show’s production said: “Netflix are playing a clever hand with these four queens, bringing the story of Her Majesty to a sensational end after telling virtually all of her life story over 60 episodes. “It also indicates the respect and affection which the creators have for the late monarch, even though they might not feel the same way about the royals as an institution.” The Crown returns to Netflix on 16 November, with the release of the final season being split across two parts.