It’s difficult to pick an MVP from the third season of The Crown, which features everybody from Olivia Colman to Helena Bonham Carter and Emerald Fennell as a young Camilla Shand. That said, Erin Doherty captures a young, often-sardonic Princess Anne with so much humor and empathy, she’s difficult to look away from.

The British actress, who has also appeared in Les Misérables and Call the Midwife, recently spoke to Vogue about preparing for her role as Princess Anne, going into royal “binge mode,” and building familial chemistry with her onscreen brother, Josh O’Connor.

How did you get ready to embody Princess Anne?

I didn’t know who Princess Anne was when I got the call from my agent. I went into binge mode watching YouTube videos, and found loads of footage of her at the age I’m playing her. I watched her mannerisms, focusing particularly on her voice because that’s the biggest difference between us.

What’s it like portraying a real person versus a fictional character?

I just had to try really hard to get into her headspace. There’s definitely more pressure when it’s a real person, and there came a point when I had to put the real Anne to one side and do Erin’s version. I felt really safe working within Peter Morgan’s scripts.

What was the bond like between the cast?

It was such a relief—it almost felt like doing a play, in a way. I’m so close in age with Josh O’Connor [who plays Anne’s brother, Prince Charles] and now I genuinely think of him as a brother.

Are you a royal-watcher yourself?

I stay away from what the royals are up to currently, because I don’t want to know what Anne was like at 30 if I’m playing her at 18. I just cut myself off from her whole history, really focusing on her life between the ages of 18 and 25.

Do you have a favorite royal?

At this point I would have to say Anne, having spent over a year researching her. I just have so much empathy for her.

Anne has a semi-scandalous arc with Andrew Parker Bowles this season. How was that to play?

I was so excited; you know, The Crown is successful because it really humanizes this family behind glass. I knew who they were before the show, but I didn’t really know. Playing Anne with Andrew, I thought, this is a young woman testing the waters and wanting to really live her life. We’re showing her out of her family environment, which was such a great opportunity.

What are you working on now?

We’re filming season four of The Crown. This show is my life!