That was fast! The Crown’s Gillian Anderson is “perplexed” by the speed of her former novel partner Peter Morgan’s new romance with socialite heiress Jemima Khan … while the two “move in” weeks after the split
- Gillian Anderson is said to be upset at how quickly the former Peter Morgan changed
- He started dating producer Jemima Khan, 46, this month, according to friends
- It emerged last month that Allen and Anderson parted amicably after four years
It’s a complicated romance with a high-profile socialite and an acclaimed writer – just the kind of intrigue that might interest fans of the hit TV series The Crown.
But the development of the plot involves the show’s writer, Peter Morgan.
Within weeks of announcing his separation from actress Gillian Anderson, Morgan apparently moved on to his next love – filmmaker Jemima Khan.
Friends say the couple has ‘been looking happy since the new year’ and is already living together.
Gillian Anderson is said to be “perplexed” by how quickly her ex, Peter Morgan (pictured opposite, in a virtual release of the crown’s fourth season premiere at her home in November last year) has moved on, moving in with film producer Jemima Khan (left) just a few weeks later according to friends
However, as they enjoy their first flush of love, Mrs. Anderson – who won applause for her interpretation of Margaret Thatcher in the fourth series of The Crown – said she was ‘upset’ at the way her former partner has changed so quickly .
It is said that she is “perplexed” by the new relationship, with friends saying that “she certainly raised an eyebrow or two” at the news of the romance.
Ms. Khan and Mr. Morgan, 57, were found to be old friends – with a friend of Ms. Anderson’s even suggesting that Ms. Khan, 46, “had been trying to make this happen for some time.”
Last night, a source close to Ms. Khan and Mr. Morgan, who is currently writing the fifth series of the Netflix drama, said: ‘They’ve been looking happy since the New Year.
“They are old friends and are now in what they call a legitimate bubble of support.”
It turned out last month that Morgan and Anderson, who married twice, were considered one of the most powerful couples in show business, decided to split amicably after four years together.
They never married or even lived together – which probably only added to the shock at the news that Morgan is living with Khan, the ex-wife of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, after just two weeks.
A source said: ‘There was a small process before Gillian and Peter split up, but it all happened very quickly and it was a big surprise.
‘The impression is that Jemima has been trying to make this happen for a long time. She has liked Peter for a long time.
“But a few weeks before we are together is not a long time, especially after four years together. Hence the perplexity on Gillian’s part.
Former X-File actress Mrs. Anderson, 52, was first associated with Oscar Morgan nominee when they attended a The Crown launch party together.
But the couple, each with children from previous relationships, attributed their separation to “busy work hours and family logistics”, despite working together on the Netflix series.
Ms. Khan has two children – Suleiman, 24, and Kasim, 21 – from her marriage to former cricketer Khan. The couple married in 1995, but divorced nine years later.
Since then, the daughter of the late magnate James Goldsmith and socialite Lady Annabel Goldsmith has dated several important men.
She was an associate editor of the political magazine The New Statesman and European general editor of the American magazine Vanity Fair and now runs a film production company.
The father of five, Morgan was nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay for the 2006 film Queen, starring Helen Mirren.
His other credits as a screenwriter include the films Frost / Nixon and The Damned United, as well as the acclaimed play The Audience.