The Crown’s Erin Doherty picks up bargains at Lidl with girlfriend Sophie Melville

She’s won acclaim for her portrayal of Princess Anne in the two most recent seasons of hugely successful series Netflix series The Crown.

And Erin Doherty looked a world away from her regal role over the weekend, when she was spotted shopping at budget supermarket Lidl with girlfriend Sophie Melville in south-east London.

The 28-year-old actress stepped out in casually cool style, sporting a green fleece top and matching Nike jogging bottoms as she pushed their shopping trolley through the rain-sodden car park.

Picking up bargains: The Crown star Erin Doherty was spotted shopping at budget supermarket Lidl with girlfriend Sophie Melville in south-east London over the weekend

With a grey woolly hat over her brown braided hair, the screen star rounded out her casual ensemble with a pair of chequered Vans shoes.

Actress Sophie opted for a lilac quilted coat and black jogging bottoms as she walked beside the star, while a patterned face mask rested beneath her chin.

With her golden locks falling beyond her shoulders, she chatted with her partner as they made their way into the low-cost supermarket. 

Role: The actress looked a world away from her regal role as Princess Anne as she stepped out

Low-key: Erin cut a low-key figure during her outing

Role: The actress looked a world away from her regal role as Princess Anne as she stepped out

Casually cool: The 28-year-old actress stepped out in casually cool style, sporting a green fleece top and matching Nike jogging bottoms

Casually cool: The 28-year-old actress stepped out in casually cool style, sporting a green fleece top and matching Nike jogging bottoms

Bags: Erin carried a collection of shopping bags as the twosome made their way into the store

It's good to talk: They were seen chatting away as they embarked on their shopping trip

Bags: Erin carried a collection of shopping bags as the twosome made their way into the store

It's all in the details: With a grey woolly hat over her brown braided hair, Erin rounded out her casual ensemble with a pair of chequered Vans shoes

It’s all in the details: With a grey woolly hat over her brown braided hair, Erin rounded out her casual ensemble with a pair of chequered Vans shoes

Erin and Sophie have collaborated onstage and most recently starred together in the production of Ross Willis’ debut play Wolfie at south London’s Theatre503.

They have since been seen out and about at glitzy showbiz events. Erin has kept a relatively low profile, unveiling an Instagram account just last year.

During a recent on-camera questionnaire for audiobook library Audible, Erin was asked what her greatest achievement was. She looked lovingly at Sophie before answering: ‘My relationship.’

Erin recently revealed that she’s ‘fallen in love’ with Princess Anne, after playing the royal in her wildly successful Netflix series.

Acclaim: Erin has won critical acclaim for her portrayal of Princess Anne in The Crown

Regal: Princess Anne is pictured in 1983

Acclaim: Erin has won critical acclaim for her portrayal of Princess Anne, pictured right in 1983

Pretty in pink: Actress Sophie opted for a lilac quilted coat and black jogging bottoms as she walked beside the star, while a patterned face mask rested beneath her chin

Pretty in pink: Actress Sophie opted for a lilac quilted coat and black jogging bottoms as she walked beside the star, while a patterned face mask rested beneath her chin

Admiration: The actress has told how she admires the Princess Royal's courage and 'steeliness'

Figure: She believes that much of Princess Anne's 'steeliness' , comes from not having a typical 'mother figure' during her childhood

Admiration: The actress has told how she admires the Princess Royal’s courage and ‘steeliness’, much of which she believes comes from not having a typical ‘mother figure’ 

Low-key: The actress, who continues to draw legions of fans, only joined Instagram last year

Low-key: The actress, who continues to draw legions of fans, only joined Instagram last year

The actress, who hails from West Sussex, told how she admires the Princess Royal’s courage and ‘steeliness’, much of which she believes comes from not having a typical ‘mother figure’ during her childhood.

The fourth season of The Crown is critical in its dramatisation of the Queen’s parenting of her daughter, with the monarch – played by Olivia Colman – boasting of leaving her and Charles alone as young children for five months during her and Prince Philip’s tour of Australia in 1954. 

Speaking to The Times, Erin said: ‘My choice… was to make [Anne’s steeliness] come from this childhood of not having that mother figure there as you would have wished. You kind of go, “Well, that’s fine. If that person isn’t there, I don’t need one”.’

She added: ‘I think Olivia does an amazing job at portraying [the Queen], but I think that is what’s fascinating about them.

Rain-sodden: The stunning screen star steered their trolley through the rain-sodden car park

Rain-sodden: The stunning screen star steered their trolley through the rain-sodden car park

Fresh: Erin opted to go makeup-free for her excursion, letting her natural beauty shine through

Under wraps: She wrapped up for her outing in the inclement weather

Fresh: Erin opted to go makeup-free for her excursion, letting her natural beauty shine through

Stage co-stars: The pair have collaborated with one another in stage productions in the past

Stage co-stars: The pair have collaborated with one another in stage productions in the past

Training: Erin took a one-year course at the Guildford School of Acting, before training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School between 2012 and 2015

Hometown: She grew up in West Green, West Sussex

Training: Erin took a one-year course at the Guildford School of Acting, before training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School between 2012 and 2015

Big debut: The screen star's first TV appearance was in an episode of Call The Midwife in 2016

Big debut: The screen star’s first TV appearance was in an episode of Call The Midwife in 2016

This family is completely circulating around this woman who needs to do this thing that she does, but it actually completely detaches her from the beating heart that is a family.’

Erin said Princess Anne’s ability to ‘deflect judgement’, especially from the press while growing up, was one of her favourite traits to bring to life on-screen. 

‘That part of her personality was the most fun to embrace,’ she explained.  ‘She had this ability to completely deflect judgement. It had impacted her so early on from being introduced to the media.

‘They commented on her from when she was 16. They commented on her body. I find that fascinating and horrendous. If someone had called me frumpy as a 16-year-old, I’d have had a breakdown.’ 

One to watch: Erin was named a Screen International Star of Tomorrow, and an Evening Standard Rising Star in 2018

One to watch: Erin was named a Screen International Star of Tomorrow, and an Evening Standard Rising Star in 2018

Photocall: Erin and Sophie are seen together during a photocall for The Divide during the annual Edinburgh International Festival  in 2017

Photocall: Erin and Sophie are seen together during a photocall for The Divide during the annual Edinburgh International Festival  in 2017

We like to party: The pair are seen together at the Old Vic midsummer party in London last year

We like to party: The pair are seen together at the Old Vic midsummer party in London last year

Chic: They stepped out in style for the 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards last November

Chic: They stepped out in style for the 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards last November

Erin, who knew very little about the princess before landing the part, said one of the things that excited her most about playing her was the opportunity to bring her to life for people of her age.

‘For my generation, it would kind of be like an introduction to a person people deserve to know because she’s magnificent,’ the actress explained.

‘The way she is within the rigidity that is the Royal Family, the way that she behaves within that, is brilliant. And it was so much fun to play her… I kind of fell in love with her.’

She added that she was ‘so gutted’ writer Peter Morgan decided not to include the armed kidnap attempt of the Princess Royal in 1974, because it’s been so well-documented.

Fallen in love: Erin recently revealed she's 'fallen in love' with Princess Anne while playing her (pictured) in the Netflix series

Fallen in love: Erin recently revealed she’s ‘fallen in love’ with Princess Anne while playing her (pictured) in the Netflix series

Dramatisation: The fourth season of The Crown is critical in its dramatisation of the Queen's parenting of her daughter (pictured together in August 1983)

Dramatisation: The fourth season of The Crown is critical in its dramatisation of the Queen’s parenting of her daughter (pictured together in August 1983)

Anne was returning to Buckingham Palace from a charity event when Ian Ball tried to abduct her, planning to hold her ransom for millions of pounds, and shot four men in the process.

The princess heroically refused to get out of the car, even when Ball grabbed her arm.

Erin said she ‘completely gets’ why Morgan decided to leave it out of the drama, but ‘as an actor, I was gutted’.  

In a recent interview for Town & Country magazine, Erin said playing the royal gave her the courage to be honest, when previously she was focused on ‘not wanting to upset people’.

While gracing the cover of the publication, the actress – who will not play Anne in future series – also admitted that leaving behind her iconic role ‘is kind of like mourning someone at the end’. 

Cast: Seen with Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies), Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter), the Queen (Olivia Colman), the Queen Mother (Marion Bailey) and Prince Charles (Josh O'Connor)

Cast: Seen with Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies), Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter), the Queen (Olivia Colman), the Queen Mother (Marion Bailey) and Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor)

Age: Erin, who knew little about Anne before landing the part, said one of the things that excited her most about playing her was the chance to bring her to life for people of her age

Age: Erin, who knew little about Anne before landing the part, said one of the things that excited her most about playing her was the chance to bring her to life for people of her age