Here's what the cast of 'The Crown' looks like in real life

Claire Foy auditioned for the role while she was six months pregnant, wearing a tiara, gloves, and gown.

Foy won a Golden Globe for her work in "The Crown," and actually thanked the real Queen Elizabeth in her acceptance speech.

"I really, really, really wouldn't be here if it wasn't for some extraordinary women, and I'm going to thank them. One of them is Queen Elizabeth II," he said. "She has been at the center of the world for the past 63 years, and I think the world could do with a few more women at the center of it, if you ask me."

Queen Elizabeth II is a mother of four children on season three.

"I'm so thrilled to be part of 'The Crown,'" Colman said in a statement. "I think Claire Foy is an absolute genius. She's an incredibly hard act to follow."

Imelda Staunton is set to take over for seasons five and six.

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip first met in 1934 at the wedding of Princess Marina and Prince George, according to the Royal Family's official website. They got married on November 20, 1947.

Matt Smith was the source of a media firestorm and online outrage when it was revealed that he was paid more than Foy during their time on "The Crown." He responded by speaking out in support of equal pay.

Today, the real Elizabeth and Philip have been married for an incredible 72 years.

He played Edmure Tully, the brother of Catelyn Stark and uncle of Sansa, Arya, and Bran — and the aspiring king who was roundly mocked on the series finale.

On the flip side, he played the absolutely terrifying Black Jack Randall in "Outlander," as well as his sweeter descendant Frank Randall.

Doherty plays an older Princess Anne, the only daughter and second child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

"To be a part of 'The Crown' feels both special and surreal," Doherty wrote of her new role in a statement. "There is such a special dynamic within Princess Anne that I am incredibly grateful to be able to explore. She is a woman of great strength and heart — I feel privileged to fight her corner."

Prince Charles is the eldest child of the royal couple. He was invested as Prince of Wales by the Queen on July 1, 1969.

"Seasons three and four will follow some of the most turbulent events in the Prince of Wales's life and our national story and I'm excited to be bringing to life the man in the midst of it all," he said of his new role in a statement.

Lady Diana Spencer — who became Princess Diana following her marriage to Prince Charles — is going to pop up in "The Crown" during the upcoming season four. The real Diana met Prince Charles in 1977, when he was dating her older sister, and they got married after a brief courtship in 1981.

"I have been glued to the show and to think I'm now joining this incredible talented acting family is surreal," Corrin wrote in a statement. "Princess Diana was an icon and her effect on the world remains profound and inspiring."

She's appeared in British series such as "Grantchester" and "Pennyworth."

Anderson, best known for her long-time role as Scully in "The X-Files," will be taking on the Iron Lady during season four.

Thatcher became the first female prime minister when she was elected in 1979. She held the position until 1990.

Anderson, who can most recently be seen in Netflix's "Sex Education," released a statement on joining the show, Variety reported.

"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. 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," she said.

Princess Margaret was entangled in a forbidden romance throughout season one. The relationship was one of the biggest scandals in royal family history.

Vanessa Kirby has also appeared in "Jupiter Ascending" and "Mission: Impossible - Fallout."

"I'm not sure which I'm more terrified about — doing justice to the real Princess Margaret or following in the shoes of Vanessa Kirby," she said in a statement. "The only thing I can guarantee is that I'll be shorter than Vanessa."

"The Crown" won't be Carter's first forray into the Royal Family: She won an Oscar for "The King's Speech," in which she played Queen Elizabeth II's mother.

When Margaret asked for her sister's permission to marry Townsend, Queen Elizabeth II refused. Because he was previously divorced, the Church of England and Parliament were reportedly against the match, despite the public's support.

He is also known for his roles in "V for Vendetta" and "Speed Racer."

Three years after announcing that she wouldn't marry Townsend, Margaret married Armstrong-Jones, who later became known as Lord Snowden.

The couple's love story had some scandalous twists and turns.

He has also appeared in films like "Leap Year," "Stoker," and "The Imitation Game."

After the birth of their second child in 1964, Armstrong-Jones reportedly began sleeping with other women while away on photographic assignments, according to The Evening Standard.

Daniels has also starred in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" and on "House of Cards."

The real-life Queen Mary died in 1953.

Atkins has recently starred in "Magic in the Moonlight" and "Paddington 2."

The Queen Mother is the affectionate name given to Elizabeth and Margaret's mother, who was was the wife of King George VI.

Hamilton, an accomplished stage actress, starred in the 1995 film "Pride and Prejudice" and the 1999 film "Mansfield Park."

"Wonderful to be joining 'The Crown,'" she said in a statement. "It's a brilliant show and we have a tough act to follow but what a gift to be playing the fascinating and greatly loved Queen Mother."

Marion Bailey is known for films like "Allied," "Mr. Turner," and "Vera Drake."

King George VI reluctantly claimed the throne in 1937, after his older brother gave it up in order to marry an American socialite.

His daughter Elizabeth became queen directly following his death in 1952.

Harris played another king, the infamous Henry VIII, in "The Other Boleyn Girl."

His father was the late Richard Harris, who is best known now as the original Dumbledore.

Directly after his father died in 1936, Edward VIII took the throne. Less than a year later, in a scandalous, unprecedented move, he renounced the throne in order to marry an American divorcee.

Jennings has also starred on recent TV series like "Unforgotten," "Victoria," and "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Simpson, an American socialite, was divorced twice before she fell in love with the royal. After Edward abdicated the throne for her, they married in 1937 and stayed together until Edward's death in 1972.

Williams is known for films like "The Foreigner" and "The Missing."

Mountbatten was a great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

He recently cowrote the Emilia Clarke-starring rom-com "Last Christmas" with his wife, Emma Thompson.

Churchill was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, and again from 1951 to 1955.

He had to don the fat suit again to play Fox magnate Roger Ailes in "Bombshell."

According to the History Channel, "Winston himself credited [Clementine] as the primary driver behind his astonishingly successful life."

Walter portrayed Dr. Kalonia in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

Eden succeeded Churchill in 1955.

Northam acted alongside Gwyneth Paltrow in "Emma" and Sandra Bullock in "The Net."

Harold Macmillan took over as prime minister when Sir Anthony Eden resigned in 1957.

You may also recognize Lesser for his role as Qyburn in "Game of Thrones."

According to CNN, Wilson was the first prime minister from a lower-middle-class background during Queen Elizabeth II's reign and they got along well.

He also starred on the British comedy-drama series "Being Human."

"The Crown" portrayed the late former president as a high-functioning, charismatic drug addict.

"You have to in some way honor that without mimicking him," Michael C. Hall told Entertainment Weekly about the role. "It's a challenging thing, I know that on the show they certainly encourage people to honor the spirit of the people they're playing but don't encourage straight-up mimicry. So I didn't feel too bound by that."

Hall is best known as the titular character on Showtime's "Dexter." Balfour has a role on HBO's "True Detective."

• Read more:
• All the 'Game of Thrones' actors who have also been cast in 'The Crown'
• The 10 best period TV shows to stream right now
• 'The Crown' star Helena Bonham Carter said the key to playing a royal is not moving your upper lip when you speak
• How the cast of Netflix's 'The Crown' compares to the real-life royals