HELENA Bonham Carter has been seen as Princess Margaret for the first time in The Crown.

A new image from the third series of the hit Netflix show, features the 52-year-old actress as the royal alongside Lord Snowdon, played by Ben Daniels, dancing at a party.

The actress has taken over the role from Vanessa Kirby, who played Elizabeth's sister in the first two seasons of the show, alongside Olivia Coleman and Tobias Menzies - who will replace Matt Smith as Prince Philip.

The upcoming series with follow Princess Margaret’s rocky relationship with Lord Snowdon up until their split in 1978.

Another newly released images sees Olivia as Queen Elizabeth II with Tobias.

Princess Margaret married English photographer and film-maker Antony Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey, who later got the title of Lord Snowdon.

Cracks in the couple's marriage emerged early on, amid rumours of infidelity from both parties.

During their most turbulent years, Lord Snowdon is said to have left idle lists for his wife to find around their home or between the pages of her books which read 'things I hate about you'.

On March 19, 1976, the palace announced 'HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, and the Earl of Snowdon have mutually agreed to live apart'.

Two years later on May 10, 1978, it was decided they would officially divorce.

The first image comes after The Sun revealed that Helena hired a psychic to contact the late Princess Margaret before playing her.

She enlisted the help of a clairvoyant to speak to Queen Elizabeth's sister - who died in 2002 aged 71 - from beyond the grave to ensure she researched the role with "as much depth as possible".

A TV insider said: "She always likes to research her roles with as much depth as possible - and is always prepared to go that extra mile.

"So if that means using someone with supernatural powers to speak to a character who is now on the other side then Helena has no problems with doing that."