Erin Doherty: ‘I had no idea who Princess Anne was’

The actor’s star turn as the young Princess Anne in The Crown has marked her out as one of the talents of her generation. She tells us how she owes it all to her Donegal grandad

Erin Doherty: ‘There came a point where I had to go, Look I’m never gonna be the actual Princess Anne I’m gonna be a version, my version, of her.‘ Photo: Matt Holyoak/Netflix

Royalty always knows how to make an entrance and Erin Doherty certainly turned heads when she appeared as the teen version of Princess Anne in season three of The Crown. Brittle, belligerent and a little bit bratty, her depiction of young Anne and her bouffant hairdo stole the show out from under Olivia Colman in her coronation season.

Born in Crawley, West Sussex, her father is originally from Donegal. Once scouted by Chelsea Football Club ...