Helena Bonham Carter's casting on The Crown [2] is official! There have been rumors about her joining the royal drama as the rebellious Princess Margaret [3] for months now, but Netflix finally sealed the deal [4] on Thursday when it was announced both she and Jason Watkins are on board for the third season.
"I'm not sure which I'm more terrified about — doing justice to the real Princess Margaret or following in the shoes of Vanessa Kirby's Princess Margaret," the Ocean's 8 actress said of her new role. "The only thing I can guarantee is that I'll be shorter [than Kirby]."
In case you didn't realize, The Crown is getting a brand new cast in season three [5] to realistically reflect the aging process for the characters. While season two might have hinged around high-profile moments in Queen Elizabeth II's life, like her dinner with JFK [6] or her trip to Ghana [7], it's her younger sister, Princess Margaret, who steals the show. Thanks to Kirby's exceptional performance [8], the fashionable, rule-breaking princess ends up being the second season's most relatable (and entertaining) character [9].
Fortunately, Netflix could not have picked a better person to follow in Kirby's footsteps. It also seems like Kirby is as happy as we are about the casting, judging from an Instagram photo [10] she shared a few months back featuring her and Carter happily posing for the camera.