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Vanessa Kirby: Playing Princess Margaret would be daunting now

Helena Bonham Carter has taken up the royal role.

Vanessa Kirby (Matt Crossick/PA) Expand

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Vanessa Kirby (Matt Crossick/PA)

Vanessa Kirby (Matt Crossick/PA)

Vanessa Kirby (Matt Crossick/PA)

By Sherna Noah, PA Senior Entertainment Correspondent

Vanessa Kirby says she would feel “daunted” if she was still playing Princess Margaret in The Crown.

The actress, 32, played the royal in Netflix big budget drama until 2017 and her role is now played by Helena Bonham Carter.

Kirby told The Sunday Times Culture magazine that she took up the part with little knowledge about her alter-ego.

“I didn’t know anything about Princess Margaret,” she said.

“And from the 1950s all you could find were little clips of her opening things, like boats.

“I had to find moments where her mic was left on and she said a withering remark.”

But she added: “I’d have felt daunted if it was closer to today.

“It’s more current. More controversial.”

Her comments come after Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said he fears viewers of the lavish drama could mistake fiction for fact without a warning at the beginning of episodes

Netflix has said it has “no plans – and sees no need” to add a disclaimer to explain it is a work of fiction.

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