More than 21 million Netflix users started watching the third series of The Crown in its first month, the streaming service has said.

This means more than 73 million households have streamed at least part of the big-budget royal drama since it first launched in November 2016.

While Netflix does not release viewing figures for all its content, The Crown is thought to be one of its most popular shows.

The only other show it has ever released overall viewing figures for was prison drama Orange Is The New Black, which was watched by around 105 million people over six series.

The third series of The Crown, which launched on November 17, saw Olivia Colman take over the role of the Queen from Claire Foy, while Helena Bonham Carter replaced Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret and Tobias Menzies took over the part of the Duke Of Edinburgh from Matt Smith.

The cast was recently named best ensemble in a drama series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, while Colman won the best actress in a drama prize at the Golden Globes earlier this month.

Foy also bagged a Golden Globe and SAG for her turn as the monarch, as well as an Emmy, while Kirby won a TV Bafta for her turn as the Queen’s sister in 2018.

Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix, said: “73 million households around the world have made The Crown part of the global cultural zeitgeist.

“Thanks to creator and writer Peter Morgan and a phenomenal cast and crew, the show’s popularity grows with each new season and, as the recent SAG and Golden Globe Awards demonstrate, its quality remains unsurpassed.”

The third series of the show followed events including the Aberfan mining disaster, the moon landing, the romance between Prince Charles and Camilla Shand and the investiture of Charles as the Prince of Wales.

The fourth series of the show is currently in production at Elstree Studios and locations across the UK and will see the introduction of Diana, Princess of Wales, played by Emma Corrin.