‘The Crown’: Lesley Manville on Margaret’s Romance & Scenes With Timothy Dalton (VIDEO)

[Warning: The video, above, and article, below, contain spoilers for The Crown Season 52, Episode 4, “Annus Horribilis.”]

The Crown may weigh heavily upon the shoulders of Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) in Season 5, but her sister Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville) is faced with a ghost from her past that reminds viewers of just how much she gave up for the institution.

As many will recall, in earlier seasons of the series from creator Peter Morgan, the Princess had been madly in love with royal equerry Peter Townsend and almost married him until scrutiny over his divorce was too much to accept in the eyes of the Church of England. After decades apart, the former lovers reunite with Timothy Dalton stepping into the role.

(Credit: Netflix)

“I wasn’t playing Margaret when they were initially together, so I could only observe that from the previous seasons and read about it,” Manville acknowledges in our interview with her, above. She goes on to say, “It felt very right. I think Timothy was extremely good casting.”

And while Manville notes, “You know they’re not going to get together again. You know he’s married and she’s in a different place in her life. They’re grown up.” She also says of the reunion, “it is very beautiful and rather sweet.”

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“You just see them looking into each other’s eyes and that whole history and fondness and love and memory of those heady, heady times that they had are all still there,” Manville continues. There’s more to their reunion than a chance encounter though as he reaches out before they meet at a coinciding event.

While fans will have to tune in to see their official onscreen reunion, you can listen to Manville talk more about working with the iconic actor and Princess Margaret’s allyship towards Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) as the latest chapter unfolds. Watch the segment, above, and don’t miss Manville as the Princess in the latest season of The Crown.

The Crown, Season 5, Streaming now, Netflix