The Crown 's Emma Corrin Recalls 'Insane Moment' of Wearing Princess Diana's Wedding Dress
Nick Thompson
Emma Corrin is living her ultimate royal life.
The British actress, 24, steps into the kitten heels of the late Princess Diana in Season 4 of The Crown, and is loving every second of recreating the royal's most famous moments.
“One of the most iconic things was the wedding dress – that was an insane moment,” Corrin, 24, says in the Fall edition of Glass Magazine, where she dazzles on the cover in yellow Fendi and Bulgari jewels.
“The Emannuels, who designed her wedding dress, came in and gave [the wardrobe design team] all the original designs, so it was a complete replica," she says.
A Netflix trailer released in August has already given fans a tantalizing glimpse of Corrin, 24, wearing the replica gown as she prepares to marry Prince Charles in the 1981 royal wedding – a scene that made everyone go “completely silent” on The Crown set, Corrin recently told the October edition of British Vogue.
"More than anything else I wear in the series, it’s so … It’s her,” she adds.
Netflix Emma Corrin in The Crown
Truth is, however, that while Corrin is enjoying her foray into royal life, she's also keenly aware that Diana is one of the most iconic — and photographed — women in history. So to play her, she first needed to accept that each viewer would have their own loving memories of the late princess.
“I think I realized quite quickly that if I were to do this any justice, I was going to have to come to terms with that and put it to one side,” Corrin tells Glass Magazine.
“I needed to shut off all the noise that was saying, this is huge. It’s her, how are you going to do this? What will people think? It was terrifying and it’s not conducive to good work," she adds.
Netflix Emma Corrin in The Crown
In a hint of what's in store when the royal drama hits Netflix on November 14, a set of recently-released images show Corrin perfectly channeling Diana in a show-stopping lilac evening gown, as she walks a red carpet alongside a tuxedo-wearing Prince Charles (played by Josh O’Connor).
This is complemented by a second, more casual image of Corrin surrounded by paparazzi in a chic ivory day suit with puff-shoulders and white leather shoulder bag – and a replica of Diana’s iconic sapphire engagement ring clearly on display.
Netflix Emma Corrin in The Crown
A third image also shows Corrin meeting Camilla Parker-Bowles (Emerald Fennell). Wearing the same chic ivory outfit, she allows her love rival a close-up inspection of the dazzling ring, with Parker-Bowles looking slightly dispirited.
The new season will pick up the tumultuous royal story in the late 1970s and focus on Queen Elizabeth's (Olivia Colman) strained relationship with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as well as the ill-fated romance of Charles and Diana.
It sees X-Files alum Gillian Anderson getting political as Britain’s first female Prime Minister, who was head of the UK government from 1979 to 1990.
Netflix Gillian Anderson in The Crown
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“I am so excited to be joining the cast and crew of The Crown and to have the opportunity to portray such a complicated and controversial woman,” Anderson said in a Sept. 2019 statement about her role.
“Thatcher was undoubtedly formidable but I am relishing exploring beneath the surface and, dare I say, falling in love with the icon who, whether loved or despised, defined an era.”
