Claudia Harrison replaced Erin Doherty as no-nonsense Princess Anne in series five of The Crown and has retained the role for the final season. Her period drama appearance has been hailed as ‘insanely good’ and she has been lauded for stealing the show.
Speaking about her royal role, Claudia said, ‘Anne’s an extraordinary character. She's not there to make people feel better about themselves, but she is superb at her job and is a proper feminist. She's someone we can really look up to and I think she has no sense of entitlement.’
Series four hinted at the dissolution of Anne’s marriage to her first husband Mark Phillips, played by Geoffrey Breton, and series five saw their divorce fully realised. The couple divorced in 1992, the same as Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, whilst Charles and Diana’s marriage also reached a new low… no wonder Queen Elizabeth referred to 1992 as her 'annus horribilis'.
But lo and behold, it’s not all heartache, as Timothy Laurence – played by Theo Fraser Steele – swept Anne off her feet in series five and they went on to marry in December of the same year Anne’s divorce finalised. In fact, Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne were actually forced to marry in Scotland since The Church of England did not permit remarrying at that time.
Here is the lowdown on the actress who plays Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter.
Who is Claudia Harrison?
Claudia Harrison is a British stage, film and television actress who hails from Claygate, Surrey.
Well-versed in her field, she holds a drama degree from Birmingham University and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
How old is Claudia Harrison?
She’s a New Year’s Day baby! Claudia was born on 1 January 1976, meaning she will celebrate her 48th birthday in a few weeks.
What else has Claudia Harrison been in?
You may have seen Claudia in The Cat’s Meow - about the real-life Hollywood murder of film mogul Thomas H. Ince - alongside Kirsten Dunst and Eddie Izzard, or in Murphy’s Law as Annie Guthrie, alongside James Nesbitt. She also has The IT Crowd, Lucan and Delicious on her CV, and more recently appeared in the TV series Humans and Delicious.