Helena Bonham Carter is said to be speaking to the late Princess Margaret through a "psychic"

A source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: "Although many of us might feel like laughing at what Helena is doing, it's actually a reflection of how seriously she's taking the part.

"As someone who has a very strong spiritual side, she firmly believes that she is getting tips directly from Princess Margaret.

"And she's convinced the best way of perfecting the role is by constantly consulting the royal, through the psychic, as filming of the series advances."

Helena was cast in the role in May, and when she contacted a psychic to speak to the royal after filming began, she was reportedly told she was "doing a great job".

The insider also claimed that Margaret told Helena the last actress to play her in the Netflix show, Vanessa Kirby, didn't inject the role with enough class or humour - and warned Helena to add more.

It isn't the first time the actress has consulted the spirits for help in her historical film roles, as she previously contacted another psychic before taking on the role of the late Elizabeth Taylor in the 2013 TV drama 'Burton & Taylor'.

Helena's role in 'The Crown' comes as the whole cast of the original two seasons have been replaced, as the show moves ahead in time to show a later time in Queen Elizabeth II's life.

Claire Foy has been replaced by Olivia Coleman in the lead role, whilst Tobias Menzies will take over from Matt Smith as Prince Philip.

And Helena recently revealed she was "terrified" about taking on the role because of the pressure to follow on from the "successful" first two series.

She recently said: "I think we're all ... we're completely terrified.

"I think also because the first two seasons were such a success, we have the onus of inheriting the responsibility of doing justice to all these genuinely famous people, and then on top of it, inheriting them from this previous generation of actors who've done such good jobs.

"None of us look at all like our previous generation.

"We don't actually look like our real people either. I don't look like Margaret. I don't think Olivia looks particularly like the queen, but it's interesting. We just have to try and create some sort of essence.

"The good thing is that all the characters are so multifaceted, so we will probably capture different bits."