Princess Diana biographer ‘shaken’ by Elizabeth Debicki’s performance in The Crown

Royal author Andrew Morton has revealed Elizabeth Debicki’s ‘uncanny’ performance as Princess Diana in The Crown left him ‘shaking’.

The writing of Morton’s infamous biography Diana: Her True Story features heavily in episode two of the latest season of the hit Netflix drama.

The former royal correspondent relied on Diana’s close friend James Colthurst to sneak the Princess’ audio recordings out of Kensington Palace when he was writing the biography.

This arrangement allowed the mother-of-two to deny ever being interviewed face-to-face for the book, which became an instant best-seller when it hit shelves in 1992.

Speaking to the Today Show, the author – who has now penned the biography The Queen: Her Life – opened up about what it was like to see the dramastised events unfold on screen.

Princess Diana arranged for her close friend James Colthurst to sneak her audio recordings out of Kensington Palace and take them to Andrew Morton while the author was writing his biography on the late royal in the early 1990s. Princess Diana pictured in June 1997 at the Red Cross dinner in London

Andrew Morton likened Elizabeth Debicki – pictured portraying Princess Diana in Netflix’s The Crown – to the late Princess’ ‘ghost’

Andrew Morton says he was ‘shaking’ while watching the new series of The Crown. Pictured promoting his biography Diana: Her True Story in 15 June, 1992

Describing his initial reaction to the episode, Andrew explained: ‘I’m not joking, I was shaking watching [the episode] because it was like being taken back 30 years to when I was interviewing her for my book.’

What’s more, the biographer was full of praise for how Elizabeth Debicki has portrayed Diana.

He continued: ‘Her mannerisms, her speech patterns were identical to the late Princess. 

‘And for me, having worked so closely with [Diana], it was like seeing a ghost. It really was uncanny.’

Andrew Steele pictured playing biographer Andrew Morton in episode two of season five of The Crown

Earlier this month, the author claimed Diana wanted Prince Harry to be ‘William’s wingman, not his hitman’ in royal life.

The expert issued the remark as Prince Harry prepares to release Spare, his tell-all memoir, in January.

‘Diana always expected Harry to be a wingman to William, not a hitman, so it will be interesting to see how the book is received inside the royal family,’ Mr Morton told Time Magazine. 

The author argued the Duke of Sussex has ‘every right’ to talk about his life. 

Princess Diana’s biographer claimed that the late royal ‘expected’ Prince Harry to act as a ‘wingman’ for Prince William, not his ‘hitman.’ Pictured: Diana with William and Harry on the log flume at Thorpe Park in 1993

Prince harry’s book, titled Spare, is set to be published by Penguin Random House on January 10 – which will be more than four months since the death of the Queen on September 8

Andrew also claimed the royal isn’t the first family member to pen a controversial book and that the monarchy will ‘certainly survive’ the tale.

The author noted how Edward VIII penned a memoir that ‘irritated’ the Queen Mother and his brother King George VI.

Now-King Charles also penned a biography where he discussed his adultery and attacked his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, for ‘being a distant figure and his father for being a bully.’

Mr Morton argued it will be ‘interesting’ to see how the Royal Family reacts to the memoir, especially since Diana ‘always expected Harry to be a wingman to William.’

However, he added: ‘But if the monarchy can’t survive a book written by a former member of that institution, then it’s not worth continuing. It’s survived many things, and it will certainly survive Spare.’