SHE SAID: YOU CAN PLAY ME

Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Margaret in The Crown, claims the late princess spoke to her about the role through a psychic

- Nici De Wet

THERE was a time she never thought she’d make it in Tinseltown because she had “fat legs”.

But countless accolades, including two Oscar nominations, seven Golden Globe nominations, three Emmy nominations and a Bafta win later, it’s clear the size of Helena Bonham Carter’s legs has been no obstacle in her path to success.

And at 53 the roles are still streaming in for this talented, eccentric British star. Her latest role sees her playing Princess Margaret in the third season of runaway hit series The Crown, which was released last month on streaming service Netflix.

Helena takes over the role of Queen Elizabeth’s rebellious younger sister from Vanessa Kirby (31), who portrayed Margaret in her younger days. Season 3 focuses on the end of Margaret’s marriage to Antony Armstrong- Jones (played by Ben Daniels) and her scandalously taking up with Roddy Llewellyn (Harry Treadaway), a gardener- turned-failed pop star 17 years her junior.

Helena, who comes from an aristocratic family, says she had a personal connection with the late royal as her uncle, dashing war hero Lieutenant Mark Bonham Carter, once courted the princess.

“It’s weird, I basically went out with my uncle,” she told the UK’s Sunday Times.

She met Margaret at one of her uncle’s parties when she was in her thirties. “I remember going, ‘I mustn’t turn my back on her, I mustn’t turn my back on her.’

“One of her idiosyncrasies was complimenting somebody and putting them down at the same time. She said to me, ‘Oh, you’re getting so much better at acting,’ and I thought that was really funny.”