Honeysuckle Weeks says she was ‘supposed to play the Queen in The Crown’ until mental health episode

Actor Honeysuckle Weeks has revealed that she was “supposed” to play Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown but lost out to Claire Foy during a period of bad mental health.

Foy played the late monarch throughout the first two seasons of the Netflix royal drama, later reprising the role in flashbacks. For seasons three and four, Oscar-winning The Favourite star Olivia Colman took over as Elizabeth, with Imelda Staunton portraying the queen for its fifth and forthcoming sixth season.

Weeks, 44, who is best known for her leading role in the ITV detective drama Foyle’s War, opened up about the missed opportunity in an interview with The Telegraph.

“I nearly got Death Comes to Pemberley, the PD James series, when another actress fell out but it went to Anna Maxwell Martin,” 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. I had a really important meeting about the role and I was florid, delusional and chaotic.”

In 2016, roughly around the time of losing out on the Crown role, Weeks was briefly declared missing. She told The Telegraph that this happened because she had absconded from the psychiatric care facility after being sectioned. The actor was admitted into psychiatric care six times, and has been diagnosed with bipolar.

“Now I accept that the only way forward is medication, medication, medication and I have left my ‘Sturm und Drang’ period behind me,” she said.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the next season of The Crown. would feature a tribute to the late queen, following her death last September at the age of 96.

The season will reportedly contain four different depictions of the royal, with Foy and Colman returning to the series alongside Staunton.

A young, pre-coronation version of the Queen is also said to be appearing, and will reportedly be played by Viola Prettejohn.

Speaking to The Sun, a source close to the show’s production said: “Netflix are playing a clever hand with these four queens, bringing the story of Her Majesty to a sensational end after telling virtually all of her life story over 60 episodes.

“It also indicates the respect and affection which the creators have for the late monarch, even though they might not feel the same way about the royals as an institution.”

The Crown returns to Netflix on 16 November, with the release of the final season being split across two parts. The second batch of episodes will be released on 14 December.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.