The Crown's Kate Middleton and Prince William Feel 'Responsibility' and 'Pressure' of Roles (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Meg Bellamy and Ed McVey at The Crown Finale Celebration at The Royal Festival Hall in London on Dec. 5.Photo:Mike Marsland/WireImage

Mike Marsland/WireImage

Meg Bellamy and Ed McVey are preparing for the crowning moment of their careers with season 6 ofThe Crown.

The newcomers, who star as a college-agedKate MiddletonandPrince Williamin the final season of Netflix’s hit drama, hit the red carpet on Tuesday forThe CrownFinale Celebration at The Royal Festival Hall in London. Before the glam night out, McVey and Bellamy recently opened up to PEOPLE about their royal roles ahead of the show’spart 2 premiereon Dec. 14.

The actors, who both countThe Crownas their official screen debuts (McVey, 24, recently graduated from drama school and Bellamy, 21, worked at Legoland), tell PEOPLE they felt the weight of portraying characters that take the show as close as it will get to the present day. Part 1 of season 6 debuted on Nov. 16 and focused onPrincess Diana’s final summer before her tragic death in Paris in August 1997. Part 2 will pick up after the tragedy and portray Prince William andPrince Harry(Luther Ford) navigating the next chapter of their lives, including William’s budding romance with thefuture Princess Kateat the University of St. Andrew’s in Scotland.

Justin Downing/Netflix

“As actors [we’re] taking it very seriously because we are playing real people. But also whatPeter [Morgan]wrote was, for me, it was very easy to connect to. I just felt a lot of truth in what he was writing. Just about the psychology of people, not necessarily about the royal family,” McVey tells PEOPLE of his take on the script. “And using it as more of a conduit for human emotions and families.”

While the cast ofThe Crown haschanged every two seasons to reflect the royals aging through the decades ofQueen Elizabeth’s reign, Bellamy is uniquely poised to play the only Kate. The Prince William role previously passed from Timothée Sambor toSenan Westinseason 5, before moving to Rufus Kampa in part 1 of season 6 and finally, McVey.

Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy film The Crown at St Andrews, Scotland in March 2023.Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty

Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty

When it comes to portraying the future Princess of Wales, Bellamy tells PEOPLE she felt the “responsibility” and “pressure.”

“Obviously, they’re real people, so there’s a lot of research out there. But it can just be noise a lot of the time because you don’t know what’s true and you have to take everything with a pinch of salt," she says. “It’s very nice to strip that back and just have the script and that interpretation and have conversations with the directors and the people that you are producing this show with. That was a good element to the research.”

Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton watch England play Italy in the RBS Six Nations Championship in 2007.David Davies - PA Images/PA Images via Getty

David Davies - PA Images/PA Images via Getty

Speaking to PEOPLE alongside Bellamy and McVey, Luther Ford, who portrays Prince Harry, cited a surprise factor as an advantage: their age.

“Obviously, it is close to the present, but the fact that we didn’t live through it means that there is a kind of natural distance for us. Someone older would feel that that was very familiar,” Ford, 23, says.

The series concludes around 2005 — the wedding year ofKing CharlesandQueen Camilla.

Luther Ford, Meg Bellamy and Ed McVey at The Crown Finale Celebration at The Royal Festival Hall in London on Dec. 5.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Samir Hussein/WireImage

Despite the intensity of the subject matter, there was also time for levity on set. McVey cites an air hockey competition withJonathan Pryce, who playsPrince Philip, as a favorite behind-the-scenes memory — and says the star, who received a knighthood for his services to drama and charity inQueen Elizabeth’s Birthday Honours List in 2021, won.

“Wouldn’t want him to make it easy on me, but he was very good,” McVey jokes.

James Murray, Beau Gadsdon, Dominic West, Meg Bellamy, Ed McVey, Marcia Warren, Madeleine Arthur, Claudia Harrison, Jonathan Pryce, Imelda Staunton, Elizabeth Debicki, Lesley Manville, Bertie Carvel, Olivia Williams, Khalid Abdalla, Salim Daw, Sebastian Blunt and Luther Ford at The Crown Finale Celebration at The Royal Festival Hall in London on Dec. 5.Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage

Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage

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Bellamy tells PEOPLE it was an honor to participate inThe Crown’s final bow. The decorated dramahas received 27 BAFTA nominations and won 21 Emmy Awards, among other nods, since it hit queues six years ago.

“It’s lovely in many ways. I think something that was surprisingly nice for me was you’re coming in at the end and it’s such an immense privilege, but you are such a small part of this huge puzzle,” Bellamy tells PEOPLE.

Part 1 of season 6 ofThe Crownis now streaming on Netflix, and the countdown continues to the part 2 debut on Thursday, Dec. 14.

source: people.com