The Crown cast: Netflix reveal Emerald Fennell will play young Camilla Parker Bowles

Actress Emerald Fennell will play a younger Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in the third series of The Crown.

Netflix revealed on Tuesday that the Fennell, best known for playing Patsy Mount in Call The Midwife, will play Camilla Shand in the hit royal drama.

In a statement posting on Twitter, Fennell said: “I'm absolutely over the moon, and completely terrified, to be joining the many hugely talented people on The Crown.

"I absolutely love Camilla, and am very grateful that my teenage years have well prepared me for playing a chain-smoking serial snogger with a pudding bowl haircut.”

Set during the 1970s, the third instalment of the successful show charts when Camilla first met the Prince of Wales, who will be played by Josh O’Connor.

The new series also sees different lead actors with Olivia Colman assuming the role of Queen Elizabeth II beside Tobias Menzies, who will play Prince Philip taking over from Claire Foy and Matt Smith.

Helena Bonham Carter has also joined the cast as Princess Margaret, Ben Daniels will play Lord Snowdon and Marion Bailey stars as the Queen Mother.

Plot details are being kept under wraps but the streaming service has released images of Colman, Bonham Carter and Menzies in their new roles to get fans excited.

The Crown season three is expected to air on Netflix in 2019.