We finally have one of our first official looks at the sixth and final season of “The Crown,” and it’s all about Prince William and Kate Middleton. In the new season, viewers will see William’s days at University in St. Andrew’s, where he famously met Middleton as a student. University-era William is played by Ed McVey, 23, in the series and Kate is portrayed by Meg Bellamy, 19.
Netflix notes that this is McVey’s professional onscreen debut; he’s previously starred on the stage in London. Meanwhile, the streamer says Bellamy submitted an audition tape after seeing a casting call on social media. The final season will also feature younger versions of William (and his brother Prince Harry) in the early episodes.
“The Crown”‘s upcoming final season is not without controversy. In the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022, the show announced that they were halting production out of respect for the late royal. Writer Peter Morgan told Deadline via email at the time, “‘The Crown’ is a love letter to her and I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect,” he wrote. “I expect we will stop filming out of respect, too.” They paused filming for a week before continuing on.
But quite a few Brits have been vocal that they think the show should end now. Helena Bonham Carter — who starred in season three and four of the show — told The Guardian in February, “I should be careful here too, but I don’t think they should carry on, actually. I’m in it and I loved my episodes, but it’s very different now.” She continued, “When ‘The Crown’ started it was a historic drama, and it’s crashed into the present . . . But that’s up to them.”
Season five ended before Princess Diana’s August 1997 death, so, presumably, the new season will pick up with events from shortly before then. The show’s last season is expected to cover at least some of the 2000s but it’s unclear if it will end before reaching Queen Elizabeth’s death and King Charles’s coronation.
Read on for everything we know about the new season so far, and to see the first look at Will and Kate.