Paul Bettany is rumoured to be in talks to take over the role of Prince Philip in the upcoming series of Netflix’s The Crown.

In the first two series of the royal drama, the Prince was played by former Doctor Who actor Matt Smith, who will be replaced along with the rest of the cast in series three.

According to the Mail Online, Bettany's agents have met with The Crown’s senior executive producers and "discussed the actor’s availability to attend rehearsals in June and filming from July until January or February next year".

The actor is known for his roles in films including A Beautiful Mind and The Avengers series.

Series two of The Crown was released on Netflix late last year, bringing the original cast’s time on the series to an end.

Upcoming episodes will feature new actors who will portray the royals from the 1970s into the late 1980s.

The Crown cast and their real-life counterparts - In pictures 25 show all The Crown cast and their real-life counterparts - In pictures 1/25 Queen Elizabeth II Portrayed by Olivia Colman in season 3 Netflix/PA 2/25 The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret Marion Bailey as the Queen Mother and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret in season 3 Netflix/Getty Images 3/25 Princess Anne Erin Doherty as Princess Anne in season 3 Netflix/Getty Images 4/25 Prince Charles Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles in season 3 Netflix/PA 5/25 Prince Philip Portrayed by Tobias Menzies in season 3 Netflix/PA 6/25 Queen Elizabeth II Portrayed by Olivia Colman in season 3 Netflix 7/25 Prince Charles Portrayed by Josh O'Connor in season 3 Netflix 8/25 Prince Philip Portrayed by Tobias Menzies in season 3 Netflix 9/25 Lord Mountbatten Portrayed by Charles Dance in season 3 Netflix 10/25 The Duke of Windsor Portrayed by Derek Jacobi in season 3 Netflix 11/25 The Queen Mother Portrayed by Marion Bailey in season 3 Netflix 12/25 Harold Wilson Portrayed by Jason Watkins in season 3 Netflix 13/25 Camilla Shand (later Parker Bowles) Portrayed by Emerald Fennell in season 3 Netflix 14/25 Antony Armstrong Jones, Lord Snowden Portrayed by Ben Daniels in season 3 Netflix 15/25 Princess Margaret Portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter in season 3 Netflix 16/25 Queen Elizabeth II Portrayed by Claire Foy in season 1 & 2 Netflix/PA 17/25 Duke of Edinburgh Portrayed by Matt Smith in season 1 & 2 Netflix/PA 18/25 Queen Elizabeth and Jackie Kennedy Portrayed by Claire Fore and Jodi Balfour n season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 19/25 The Queen Mother Portrayed by Victoria Hamilton in season 1 & 2 Netflix/PA 20/25 Winston Churchill Portrayed by John Lithgow in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 21/25 Princess Margaret Portrayed by Vanessa Kirby in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 22/25 King George VI Portrayed by Jared Harris in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 23/25 Duke of Windsor Portrayed by Alex Jennings in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 24/25 Antony Armstrong-Jones Portrayed by Matthew Goode in season 2 Netflix/Getty Images 25/25 Anthony Eden Portrayed by Jeremy Northam in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 1/25 Queen Elizabeth II Portrayed by Olivia Colman in season 3 Netflix/PA 2/25 The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret Marion Bailey as the Queen Mother and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret in season 3 Netflix/Getty Images 3/25 Princess Anne Erin Doherty as Princess Anne in season 3 Netflix/Getty Images 4/25 Prince Charles Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles in season 3 Netflix/PA 5/25 Prince Philip Portrayed by Tobias Menzies in season 3 Netflix/PA 6/25 Queen Elizabeth II Portrayed by Olivia Colman in season 3 Netflix 7/25 Prince Charles Portrayed by Josh O'Connor in season 3 Netflix 8/25 Prince Philip Portrayed by Tobias Menzies in season 3 Netflix 9/25 Lord Mountbatten Portrayed by Charles Dance in season 3 Netflix 10/25 The Duke of Windsor Portrayed by Derek Jacobi in season 3 Netflix 11/25 The Queen Mother Portrayed by Marion Bailey in season 3 Netflix 12/25 Harold Wilson Portrayed by Jason Watkins in season 3 Netflix 13/25 Camilla Shand (later Parker Bowles) Portrayed by Emerald Fennell in season 3 Netflix 14/25 Antony Armstrong Jones, Lord Snowden Portrayed by Ben Daniels in season 3 Netflix 15/25 Princess Margaret Portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter in season 3 Netflix 16/25 Queen Elizabeth II Portrayed by Claire Foy in season 1 & 2 Netflix/PA 17/25 Duke of Edinburgh Portrayed by Matt Smith in season 1 & 2 Netflix/PA 18/25 Queen Elizabeth and Jackie Kennedy Portrayed by Claire Fore and Jodi Balfour n season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 19/25 The Queen Mother Portrayed by Victoria Hamilton in season 1 & 2 Netflix/PA 20/25 Winston Churchill Portrayed by John Lithgow in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 21/25 Princess Margaret Portrayed by Vanessa Kirby in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 22/25 King George VI Portrayed by Jared Harris in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 23/25 Duke of Windsor Portrayed by Alex Jennings in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images 24/25 Antony Armstrong-Jones Portrayed by Matthew Goode in season 2 Netflix/Getty Images 25/25 Anthony Eden Portrayed by Jeremy Northam in season 1 & 2 Netflix/Getty Images

Olivia Colman, who will follow in Claire Foy’s footsteps as The Queen, is the only new castmember to be officially confirmed.

However, earlier this month it was reported in the Evening Standard Londoner’s Diary that Helena Bonham Carter would take over the role of Princess Margaret from Vanessa Kirby.

Kirby then endorsed the claims by posting a picture of herself with Bonham Carter on her Instagram page simply captioned: “Honoured @thecrownnetflix”

Standard Online has contacted representatives for Bettany for comment.