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Grantchester star Robson Green's unexpected role in The Crown season 5 revealed

We need to see the footage!

Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
November 17, 2022
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The Crown star James Murray has opened up about landing the role of Prince Andrew in season five, and revealed that a certain Grantchester star helped him out by taking the role of the Queen in his audition tape!

MORE: The Crown: Where have you seen Princess Anne actress Claudia Harrison before?

Chatting to HELLO!, James said: "Can I tell the story about my audition? I was reminded of it just this morning. I was sent the material for Andrew and I was filming a fishing show that I do with Robson Green up in Scotland at the time.

WATCH: Have you been watching season five?

"They said, 'We needed it yesterday,' like they always do. And I was thinking, 'Well, I'm not right for this. Robson, can you read in for me?' It was the scene where he talks about toe-gate with the Queen. So I said, 'Robson, I know we should be fishing and filming, but I have to work on this scene. I'm not going to get it anyway. Can you read in for the Queen?'"

MORE: The Crown season 5 review: a love letter to the royal family led by a heartbreaking Imelda Staunton 

MORE: Meet the full cast of The Crown season five

James continued: "I didn't have my own clothes, I just had fishing gear so I dressed up as Andrew as much as I could and did my hair in a certain way and shot myself from a certain angle and got Robson with his deep, Geordie dulcet tones to read in as Her Majesty and I just thought it would be comedy to watch. And I sent it off and then the rest is history."

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The pair filmed the audition tape while on set for their fishing show

Laughing at the story, the Queen Mother actress Marcia Warren joked: "Was he disappointed that he didn't get the part?" to which James replied: "Yeah, Robson was pipped to the post by Imelda!"

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