'The Crown' Season 3: Tobias Menzies says Prince Philip role would have his mum 'disown' him

Tobias Menzies shared that his mother would not agree with him playing the role of Prince Philip in "The Crown" Season 3, because she is an anti-royalist.

The actor may have captivated viewers with his portrayal of Prince Philip in the Netflix, series but his mum would have a different reaction. She would be aghast, to say the least, because she would never expect to see her son portray the role of a British royal.

The 45-year-old Menzies revealed that his mother is not a fan of British royalty. So much so, that he never really followed them because she would not listen to Queen Elizabeth II's speeches.

"She would actively never put on the Queen's speech, so, as a result, prior to doing The Crown, they weren't on my radar," Menzies told Ellie Austin of The Sunday Times.

But now that he has taken part in a show that tells the life of the family that she hates, Menzies feels that his mother "would be ashamed" of him.

The actor revealed that he initially did not feel conflicted about portraying Prince Philip in "The Crown" Season 3, because he did not believe in the royal family. But he has had a change of heart and mindset about them. He said that his mum, who is a schoolteacher, would "disown" him because he now feels compassion for the royals.

The actor's revelation comes after he shared what urged him to take the role of Prince Philip in "The Crown" Season 3. He said that he was fascinated by watching Matt Smith portray the character of someone who is "not the most expressive" in Seasons 1 and 2. Menzies added that he was challenged to discover and unveil "the bigger emotions that might be coursing through" the royal.

Likewise, he is a fan of Peter Morgan, the show's creator, and admitted to having enjoyed the past two seasons of the Netflix series for its mesmerizing complexity and dramatic insight into the life of the British royals. As for how he prepared for his role in "The Crown" Season 3, Menzies shared that he relied on video footage and audio recordings from the 1960s and '70s.