You couldn’t ask for a more ‘Royal’ cast: Olivia Colman is set to star alongside Colin Firth and Josh O’Connor in new period drama, Mothering Sunday.

They’ll be joined in the film by Odessa Young, while Eva Husson directs.

Set in 1924 England, Mothering Sunday sees Jane Fairchild, a maid in the Niven household, take the day off to celebrate Mothering Sunday while Mr. and Mrs. Niven attend a lunch to celebrate the engagement of their neighbour’s only remaining son, Paul, to Emma Hobday.

The Nivens have lost their own sons to the war and rejoice at the prospect of an engagement. Jane rejoices at her freedom on an unseasonably hot, beautiful spring day. But, she has no mother to go to.

For almost seven years she has – joyfully and without shame – been Paul’s lover. Like the Niven’s, Paul belongs to England’s old money aristocracy, whereas Jane was orphaned at birth. With the house conveniently empty, they can finally meet in Paul’s bedroom for the first time. Today will be their last as lovers. It is also the day that will mark the beginning of Jane’s transformation as the story unfolds through the hours of clandestine passion.

The project is expected to shoot on location in the UK this autumn.

And, the three leads all have a ‘royal’ connection: Colman has played both Queen Elizabeth II (The Crown), and her mother (Hyde Park on Hudson); Colin Firth won an Oscar for playing Elizabeth’s father (The King’s Speech) and O’Connor plays Prince Charles in The Crown.