UNITED STATES: Meg Bellamy, 19, former headteacher of St Crispin’s School in Wokingham, Berkshire, was chosen after she auditioned on her tape following a casting call on social media.
Also making their screen debut are Ed McVey (21) and Rufus Kampa (16), who will both portray young versions of the Duchess of Cambridge’s current husband, Prince William. All three will appear in the show’s sixth and final series, which begins filming later this year.
The Crown is a historical drama depicting the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, with the sixth series expected to depict the years following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.
Kampa will reportedly play Prince William in the immediate aftermath of his mother’s death, while McVey and Bellamy will play the duke and duchess during their studies at the University of St Andrews, where they met in 2001.
Bellamy is understood to have landed the role just months after leaving St Crispin’s, complex and has no professional acting experience, the Daily Telegraph reported.
She is said to have been awarded an A* in her A-level drama and acted in several school productions and is also said to have worked as a performer at Legoland in nearby Windsor.
McVey graduated from Drama Center London in 2021 and worked as an understudy in Camp Siegfried at the Old Vic, but is yet to appear on the screen.
Kampa has appeared in several stage productions, most recently as the title character in the musical version of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole at age 13 3/4 and as the Artful Dodger in Oliver!
Other stars who have appeared in The Crown include Olivia Colman, who played the Queen; Matt Smith, who played Prince Philip; and Helena Bonham Carter, who played Princess Margaret.
Set to air in November, the fifth series will feature an all-new cast featuring Imelda Staunton as the Queen, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret.
The series also stars Dominic West as Prince Charles and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales. When asked about the show last year, Prince Harry described it as “fictional” but “loosely based on truth”.
“It gives you a rough idea of what the lifestyle is like, the pressures of duty and service on family and everything else that can come out of it,” he said.
Also Read: Kareena Kapoor Breaks Silence on Rumours of Demanding 12 Crore for the Role of Goddess Sita
