Who plays Princess Anne in seasons 3 and 4 of The Crown?

Erin Doherty plays Princess Anne in seasons 3 and 4 of The Crown.

Doherty takes over the role when the series reaches its third season and the principal cast is recast to reflect the royal family’s advancing ages. Her Anne is shown as a direct, independent-minded member of the family, navigating royal duties, public attention and the expectations surrounding her position as the Queen’s only daughter.

The most common mix-up is with Claudia Harrison, who plays Anne in seasons 5 and 6 after another major cast transition. Emerald Fennell plays Camilla Parker Bowles, not Anne, while Marion Bailey portrays the Queen Mother during seasons 3 and 4. Those overlapping royal storylines make the names especially easy to confuse.

The historical Anne became Princess Royal in 1987, but The Crown compresses and dramatizes events for television. Doherty’s portrayal covers the period from the mid-1960s into the late 1970s, including the character’s public role and relationships. The role therefore belongs specifically to the show’s middle-era cast, rather than to the actors who portray Anne in the later seasons.