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The Crown star Olivia Colman reveals she swore when meeting Queen Elizabeth II

British actress Olivia Colman arrives for the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 9, 2020. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
British actress Olivia Colman arrives for the 92nd Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 9, 2020. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

The Crown star Olivia Colman has revealed she accidentally swore while meeting Queen Elizabeth II.

Colman portrays Her Royal Highness in the popular Netflix series, but admits she lost her cool when it came to actually meeting her.

The 46-year-old told of the encounter during an appearance on the Variety Streaming Room alongside co-star Helena Bonham Carter, show runner and writer Peter Morgan and director Jessica Hobbs.

Read more: The Crown season 4 trailer teases the arrival of Lady Diana

She told host Jenelle Riley: “Suddenly we looked around the corner like, ‘Oh f***.’ This man in epaulets was telling us what to do, ‘Just a little bow, don’t overdo it,’ and sort of scuffled us forward.

“So you might just meet Your Royal Highness and just keep moving, keep moving because she had hundreds of people to get through. And that was it.”

It wasn’t just Colman who spoke of meeting the royal family member they portray in the show.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 13: Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter attend "The Crown" season 3 world premiere at The Curzon Mayfair on November 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter attend "The Crown" season 3 world premiere at The Curzon Mayfair on November 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Carter, who plays the queen’s sister, told of meeting Princess Margaret before her death in 2002.

She said: “She was very small and I went up to her and she kind of knew who I was because she knew my uncle very well. She said, ‘Oh Helena yes, you are getting better at acting.'

EPSOM, UNITED KINGDOM -JUNE 06:  Queen Elizabeth ll and her sister Princess Margaret attend the Epsom Derby on June 06, 1979 in Epsom,  England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth ll and her sister Princess Margaret attend the Epsom Derby on June 06, 1979 in Epsom, England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)

“And I just thought that is so inimitably her, which was basically a compliment put down… No it wasn’t really a compliment, was it?”

A trailer for the fourth series of the show was released earlier this month. It teased the arrival of actress Emma Carrin as Diana, Princess of Wales and Gillian Anderson as former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Read more: Olivia Colman says husband had 'best night of his life' after last year's Oscars

Colman replaced Claire Foy who played the queen in series one and two of the show. She will continue in the role for the fourth series before Imelda Staunton steps into the role for the fifth and sixth series.

The Crown is available to stream on Netflix now.