star has revealed she felt ‘a lot of pressure’ to withhold her sexuality, and questioned whether going public with her relationship with her girlfriend would jeopardise her career.
The 30-year-old of the hit Netflix drama, which .
Erin, who is in a relationship with Call The Midwife actress Sophie Melville, has opened up on the pressures she felt and the difficulties she faced in expressing her sexuality, as she discussed how hard it must have been for women in the royal family to express their own sexuality.
She shared: ‘I felt a lot of pressure to withhold my sexuality,’ adding that when she landed her role in The Crown, she felt reluctant to be open about her sexuality in case of it jeopardising her career.
‘There was a period of time when I was like, do I get to be open about this in order to have a successful career?’ she continued to .
‘And the fact that that question still went through my mind, and may still go through other people’s minds, is so gutting.’
Erin added: ‘I’m really aware of all the people who have lived years and years and years, either in shame or denial, or just hiding – actors, actresses definitely stopping it getting out there in order to have a career – and I just want to be a part of trying to do something about that.’
Erin met Sophie in 2017, when the pair starred together in Alan Ayckbourn’s play The Divide, however, it wasn’t until two years later when Erin shared pictures of them together on Instagram.
Speaking about playing the Princess Royal, Erin commented on how ‘aware’ Princess Anne would have been about coming under scrutiny for being as open about her private life and romantic relationships as men in the royal family.
She has , telling Town and Country Magazine: ‘To be a part of The Crown feels both ridiculously special and surreal.
‘There is such a rare 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.’
Claudia Harrison takes over as Princess Anne in The Crown’s upcoming season five, as Imelda Staunton takes on the role of Queen Elizabeth II.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Debicki will be taking over the role of the Princess of Wales, having succeeded  in the role and Dr Hasnat Khan.
in the cast of The Crown season five will include Dominic West as Prince Charles, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret.
Olivia Williams will be playing Camilla Parker-Bowles, while Jonny Lee Miller has taken on the role of John Major.
The upcoming episodes will take the tale into the early to mid-1990s, and is expected to portray Diana and Charles’ separation, their divorce and the death of the Princess of Wales.
The Crown seasons one to four are available to watch on Netflix, with season five launching later this year.
