Emma Corrin has said they believe Princess Diana was ‘queer’ (Picture: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Emma Corrin, who starred as Princess Diana in the fourth season of The Crown, believes that the People’s Princess was ‘queer’, in a way.
Corrin last year came out as queer and uses they/them pronouns and, in a conversation about coming to terms with their own gender identity, shared their thoughts on the late Diana. s
‘In many ways Diana was so queer,’ Corrin told the Times, before adding that she was a definite ‘other’ within the family and always embraced ‘outsiders’.
Their comments followed a conversation with journalist Lotte Jeffs as the pair spoke about the fact another queer actor, Kristen Stewart, also recently portrayed Diana in the film Spencer.
While Corrin’s comments don’t refer to Diana’s sexuality, they instead referenced her work as a humanitarian, which was clear through her allyship to the LGBTQ+ community during the HIV/Aids epidemic, during which time she famously shook hands with a patient suffering from the condition in hospital in 1987, at a time when homophobia was rife.
She also later established and lead fundraising campaigns for Aids research.
Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin in a scene from The Crown (Picture: Des Willie/Netflix via AP)
Caption: Diana, The Princess Of Wales Visits Washington, Usa.Gala Dinner Held By The American Red Cross, To Raise Funds For Landmine Victims Around The World. . (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
Photographer: Mark Cuthbert
Provider: UK Press via Getty Images
Source: UK Press
During their time on the series, Corrin portrayed Diana’s early years in the Royal Family following her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981.
It also explored the beginning of the breakdown of their relationship, as well as Diana’s battle with an eating disorder.
Being cast to play such an integral role in the blockbuster series was no small feat, with Corrin admitting they were fearful, but that the experience was exciting.
‘When I first found out I’d got it I felt so many things at once. An excitement, a fear for the role and fear for how my life would change. But it was so exhilarating,’ they said.
Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales from season five of The Crown (Picture: Keith Bernstein/Netflix)
This time around, Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki is taking on the part of an older Diana in the next season, and while Corrin says they haven’t discussed the role much together, ‘I think she’s aware that I’m here if she ever wanted to ask a question’.
Last year Corrin expressed their relief at only playing the role for one season, saying they held fears over being typecast.
‘I’m looking forward to [moving on],’ she told Observer New Review.
‘Though I’m sad I only did one series, I always knew that was all I was signing on for and I played her from 16 to 28. I took her from girl to woman and I loved that arc.
‘But I’m also quite pleased to move on. The industry loves to pigeonhole. The sooner I can move away from doing posh English, the better, even though that’s what I am.’
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Next up, Corrin will be seen alongside Harry Styles in the film My Policeman, which recently screened as part of the London Film Festival.
In it, Corrin plays schoolteacher Marion Taylor, who is married to gay policeman Tom Burgess (Styles) in 1950s Brighton, a time when homosexuality was illegal.
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Their comments reference Diana’s allyship to the gay community.