Haydn Gwynne, renowned actress who appeared in The Crown and British series The Windsors, has died. She was 66.

“It is with great sadness we are sharing with you that, following her recent diagnosis with cancer, the star of stage and screen Haydn Gwynne died in hospital in the small hours of Friday 20 October, surrounded by her beloved sons, close family and friends,” said her agent in a statement. “We would like to thank the staff and teams at the Royal Marsden and Brompton Hospitals for their wonderful care over the last few weeks.”

Gwynne first appeared on the scene in the late 1980s with the drama Nice Work prior to starring in several other British series including Peak Practice, Merseybeat and BBC series Rome (as Julius Caesar’s wife Calpurnia).

Her true breakout role, however, was as cynical journalist Alex in the comedy Drop the Dead Donkey, which scored her a BAFTA nomination.