Miriam Margolyes lined up for lead role in The Crown spin-off

The actress, who was born and grew up in Oxford, is well known to audiences around the world after starring as Professor Sprout in several of the Harry Potter films.

Known for her character actor work across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs Mingott in Martin Scorsese’s 1993 film, The Age of Innocence.

One of her other famed roles was as Mother Mildred in the long-running BBC drama programme, Call the Midwife.

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Now, the actress is being lined up for a new lead role in a spin-off series of the popular Netflix show, The Crown.

The royal drama about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II ran from November 2016 to December 2023, with 60 episodes released in total.

Created by Mr Peter Morgan, the six‑series show dramatises royal history from the late 1940s up to the early 2000s.

Now, Reports suggest that Netflix has approved a new prequel run of the series, covering royal history from 1901 to 1947.

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The planned spin‑off would open with the death of Queen Victoria and conclude with the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth II to Prince Philip.

Amid this, The Telegraph has named Ms Margolyes as the publication’s dream casting for the lead role of Queen Victoria.

The national newspaper stated: “The outrageous actress is a natural. After all, she played the diminutive monarch in Blackadder’s Christmas Carol.

“However, she also has a serious passion for the subject, and narrated one of the queen’s many letters to her eldest daughter (also called Victoria) in Letters Live.”