Gillian Anderson set to play Margaret Thatcher in 'The Crown'

The Crown has found its Margaret Thatcher in the form of Gillian Anderson.

The X-Files actress will take on the role of the first female British prime minister in season four of the show.

Season three of the show is still yet to air, with Olivia Colman set to lead the cast as the Queen, taking over from Claire Foy in the role.

Coincidentally, Colman played Carol Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher’s daughter, in the film The Iron Lady, for which Meryl Streep won an Oscar playing the British premier.

Though we won’t see Anderson in the role for some time, she joins a host of new cast-members on the Netflix show, which will film series three and four back to back.

Alongside Colman will be Game of Thrones star Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, replacing Matt Smith, Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret and Ben Daniels and Lord Snowden.

Meanwhile, Jason Watkins will play Prime Minister Harold Wilson, with Call The Midwife’s Erin Doherty as Princess Anne.

Charles Dance will play a so-far unconfirmed role too, thought to be that of Lord Mountbatten.

Series three and fourth series will span 1964 to 1976, taking in events like the coronation of the Prince of Wales in 1969, as well as the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean.

Thatcher was prime minister from 1979 to 1990, making her the longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century.

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