Claire Foy has officially handed over the crown to Olivia Colman! The British star, who played the Queen in the first two series of Netflix drama, The Crown, exclusively revealed to HELLO! Online that she was "delighted" to hand over the reins to the acclaimed Broadchurch actress. Speaking at the world premiere of season two in London's Leicester Square on Tuesday evening, Claire shared: "She's a genius, a wonderful human being. I can't offer anything to her, just admiration." When asked if she had any pearls of wisdom for her successor, she replied: "Absolutely not, she needs no tips from me."
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Crown's Claire Foy is delighted Olivia Colman will be taking over her role
WATCH: New trailer of The Crown series 2
Earlier this year, Claire, 33, received critical acclaim and won a Golden Globe for her compelling portrayal of Elizabeth II in the first ten episodes of the beloved period drama. Shortly after the news of the new casting was announced, Olivia revealed she was relieved that the secret was now out in the open. "I have remained ridiculously excited since [she found out she had got the part]. I'm trying to be cool," she told RadioTimes.com. The star added: "I got a phone call from my agent when I was in a car [telling her that she had been asked to meet with director Peter Morgan]. I think I had fairly recently finished watching the first series, which I think I had done in about three nights - and so I was very excited."
© Photo: Getty ImagesVanessa Kirby is honoured to play Princess Margaret
Joining Claire at the star-studded premiere this week was her on-screen husband Matt Smith and on-screen sister Vanessa Kirby, who play Prince Philip and Princess Margaret respectively. Vanessa, 29, told HELLO! Online she felt "honoured" to have been chosen to play the late princess. "I thought she was the most royal out of all of them," she admitted. "She was the grandest, intrinsically royal and yet, she was the one who wanted to escape it the most."
STORY: Olivia Colman shares her excitement after landing role in The Crown
On playing such a complex character, she explained: "She was amazing to play, someone who was so conflicting. I think you see that conflict in her all the time. Whether she is wanting to marry a divorcee, someone that is older and inappropriate, or whether she doesn't want to give up her title, or where she meets someone completely rock 'n' roll - someone completely different to her sister. She is challenging her sister, it was always really different."
Claire Foy and Matt Smith as the young Queen and Prince Philip
The Crown: We spent the day at filming location Audley End House
The Crown tells the inside story of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, as the fragile social order established after the Second World War breaks apart. Beginning with soldiers in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces fighting an illegal war in Egypt, and ending with the downfall of her third Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, after a devastating scandal, the second season bears witness to the end of the age of deference, and ushers in the revolutionary era of the 1960s. The Crown will return to Netflix on December 8.
