TV star claims she was meant to play the Queen in The Crown until mental health crisis

Actress Honeysuckle Weeks claimed she was meant to play the Queen in The Crown (Picture: Rex/Getty)

Foyle’s War actress Honeysuckle Weeks has claimed that she was originally meant to play Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown.

Claire Foy, 39 famously portrayed the Queen in seasons one and two of the Netflix drama, which explores the trials and tribulations of the Royal Family. Season three and four saw Olivia Colman playing the late monarch, and Imelda taking over in season five and six.

However Death in Paradise star Weeks, 44, revealed she lost out on the leading role due to her mental health struggles.

She said: ‘I was also supposed to play the Queen in The Crown – the role that Claire Foy eventually got – but I was on the verge of mania and about to have the first of my psychotic episodes.

Adding to The Telegraph, she continued: ‘I had a really important meeting about the role and I was florid, delusional and chaotic.’

In July 2016, Weeks was reported missing from her home.

‘I was on the verge of mania and about to have the first of my psychotic episodes’ (Picture: REX Shutterstock)

Claire Foy played the monarch in season one and two (Picture: Netflix)

She reportedly told friends and family that she had been feeling anxious.

‘We are concerned about Honeysuckle as her recent behaviour has concerned family and friends and she has expressed to them she is feeling anxious,’ said Detective Kate Witt.

Her sister, Perdita, said days later that Weeks had been found ‘safe and sound’.

The sixth and final season of the Netflix drama series will be coming to a close from next month, with notable events including the premiership of Tony Blair, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the early relationship of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles all set to feature.

While there had already been controversy for the decision to show ‘distressing’ scenes related to the fatal Paris crash that killed Princess Diana in 1997, it was recently reported actress Great Gatsby actress Elizabeth Debicki will be appearing as a ghost.

In the scene, she will appear in front of both her ex-husband Prince Charles, played by Dominic West, and the Queen.

Diana will tell him: ‘Thank you for how you were in the hospital. So raw, broken – and handsome. I’ll take that with me.

‘You know I loved you so much. So deeply, so painfully too. That’s over now. It will be easier for everyone with me gone,’ as reported by the Daily Mail.

The Crown is available to stream on Netflix.

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Claire Foy played the Queen in season one and two.