Two of the most notorious modern royals are ready to make their television debut.
Netflix has released the first official images of Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy as college-agePrince WilliamandKate Middleton in “The Crown.”
The duo are set to make their debuts in the show’s sixth and final season, which is due to air later this year.
“As ‘The Crown’ enters a new decade, Prince William starts at University in St Andrew’s, determined to lead as normal a life as possible while he still can,” reads the logline for Season 6. “Also beginning life as a university student, is Kate Middleton from Berkshire. As the pair meet for the first time on campus, a new romance and a new future for ‘The Crown’ begins.”
Filming on the series, which launched in 2016, officially wrapped last Friday. Claudia Harrison, who plays Princess Anne in Seasons 5 and 6, revealed during a Netflix press event on Wednesday evening that the final scene the cast shot was a wedding at York Minster Cathedral with all the family in attendance. The cathedral’s interior bears a striking similarity to Westminster Abbey, where the real William and Kate wed in 2011.
The scenes with McVey and Bellamy were filmed on location in Scotland last month. Photographers caught the actors filming a scene on March 17 that appeared to be a potential meet-cute.
The new images show a studious Kate in what appears to be a classroom with Prince William behind her and a smartly-dressed William in the plush surroundings of what appears to be a royal residence or possibly a Scottish university.
In another image, the duo can be scene striding hand-in-hand.
“The Crown” represents a screen debut for both actors. While McVey has some theater experience in London, Bellamy was selected from an open casting call on social media.
PvNew can also confirm that Prince Harry will be played by Luther Ford in the sixth season of the show. The 23-year-old is currently studying to be a director at the Arts University Bournemouth. “The Crown” is his debut acting role.
William and Kate, now known as the Prince and Princess of Wales, met while studying History of Art at the University of St Andrews. Their relationship has been eagerly followed by tabloids since they met. They were engaged in November 2010 and married on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey. They also have three children: Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales.
It has been speculated that this season will focus on the Royal Family in the ’90s, including William’s mother Princess Diana’s death. Although it is believed they will not show the moment of the death, it will include the leadup and aftermath. A source told PvNew there is a strong desire within the production team “to get it right and handle [it] sensitively.”
In September 2022, “The Crown” paused filming on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, and also announced that they would suspend production on the day of her funeral.
Prince William has been under fire recently after his brother Prince Harry revealed in his autobiography that William physically attacked Harry after insulting his wife, Meghan Markle.
After allegedly calling Markle “difficult,” “rude” and “abrasive,” Harry wrote that William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and… knocked me to the floor.”
