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Princess Diana actor in 'The Crown' was hospitalized after filming 'freezing' pool scene

Emma Corrin said she enjoyed shooting on location in Spain, even though the trip ended dramatically.
The Crown S4
Emma Corrina as Princess Diana in "The Crown" season four.Des Willie / Des Willie/Netflix
/ Source: TODAY

Emma Corrin, who stars as young Princess Diana in season four of "The Crown," revealed that she was hospitalized after shooting a scene in a "freezing-cold pool" for the Netflix show.

The 24-year-old, who told the story to Glamour U.K., is asthmatic and had been ill with a bad cough prior to filming in the pool on location in Spain.

“I had to film a scene in a freezing-cold swimming pool, with the kids playing William and Harry,” she said. “It was honestly the hardest scene to film because I was genuinely keeping myself alive treading water, and also keeping 5-year-old ‘Harry’ alive, as we found out he couldn’t swim!”

“We were meant to be flying back that night to the U.K., so we went past a hospital to get me antibiotics," she continued. "The doctors gave me an oxygen test and said, ‘We cannot let you go because your oxygen levels are so low,’ so I was hospitalized.”

Corrin was able to keep a somewhat low profile at the hospital, until the nurses learned who she was.

“I remember the nurses, figuring out what I was filming and saying, ‘We know you're playing Princess Diana. Would you like us to put a cardboard bag over your head so no one recognizes who you are?’ in broken English!”

The fourth season of the hit show hit the streaming platform on Nov. 15. The season will look at Princess Diana's entrance into the royal family, including her engagement to Prince Charles, the couple’s 1983 tour of Australia and Princess Diana’s open struggle with bulimia.

Corrin has previously said that portraying an eating disorder on camera is a challenge.

"(Princess Diana) was very candid about (her eating disorder), which I think is incredibly progressive of her at that time," Corrin told USA Today in October. "Obviously, it's something we're talking about now, but even now if someone comes out and says that is something they've dealt with, it's a big deal. ... I knew that it was central to her experience, and I wanted to do that justice."

Corrin, herself, wanted to “flesh out” the scenes while recognizing the difficulty and responsibility of the task.

"I just think it's important," she said. "I think that for anyone who's experienced it, it is always a good thing to see (it) be represented on screen. At the same time, I know it's very triggering to see, and I know that you have to be careful."