Corrin, 23, was born just two years before the “People’s Princess” died from injuries sustained in a car crash in 1997.

Corrin seemed overwhelmed when she took to social media to react to the immense tabloid response that followed the announcement.

We assume she will be performing opposite Josh O’Connor, the actor who plays the young Prince Charles. O’Connor was nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star award in 2018.

Here’s what we know about Corrin so far.

1. She has just under 7,000 IG followers (as of April 23, 2019)

Compared to her co-star Josh O’Connor (@joshographee), who has 45.4k followers, Corrin is a relative unknown.

Many wonder why The Crown chose a newcomer for what’s arguably the most controversial role in the entire series. Peter Morgan, the show’s creator, says it’s because of her range as an actress.

“Emma is a brilliant talent who immediately captivated us when she came in for the part of Diana Spencer,” Morgan said. “As well as having the innocence and beauty of a young Diana, she also has, in abundance, the range and complexity to portray an extraordinary woman who went from anonymous teenager to becoming the most iconic woman of her generation.”

2. She has a pup named Spencer

Spencer, a blue Merle Cockapoo, features in a few of Corrin’s social media posts. The dog has his own Instagram, too, and even boasts 245 followers (@deliciouslyspencer, as of April 23, 2019).

3. She’s the spitting image of Diana Spencer

Both women have stunning blue eyes, and at five feet eight inches, Corrin is the same height as the much-loved princess.

We’ll have to wait for the fourth season of The Crown to see Corrin sporting Diana’s perfectly coiffed 1990s hairdo, but the actress already seems to be a modern-day duplicate of the late Princess of Wales.

4. She went to Cambridge University 

Corrin is an alumnus of St John’s College, Cambridge University, where she studied education, English and drama from 2015 to 2018.

According to her college’s news portal, Corrin was involved in 20 student theatrical productions at Cambridge, including a role as Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

 5. She will make her big-screen debut with Misbehaviour

 Corrin’s representatives Waring & McKenna reported that the actress will make her big-screen debut with Misbehaviour, an upcoming comedy-drama film directed by Philippa Lowthorpe and starring Keira Knightley.

The film tells the story of the protesters who disrupted the 1970 Miss World pageant. The controversy started because there were two entries from South Africa in the beauty contest, a black candidate and a white candidate. The Women’s Liberation movement joined the protest, which took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Corrin plays Miss South Africa Jillian Jessup, and Knightley plays Sally Alexander, a feminist activist.

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