The first pictures from The Crown season six part two have been released, giving fans a glimpse of the moment Kate Middleton catches Prince William’s eye at a university fashion show.
The now Prince and Princess of Wales were students at St Andrews in 2002 when Kate walked the runway wearing a sheer dress that for years after set tabloid tongues wagging.
Netflix’s royal drama returns in December for its final run of episodes, as the fictionalised action on screen creeps ever closer to the present day.
Season six has been split into two parts. The first four episodes arrived on the streaming service on 16 November, taking place over the summer of 1997 and culminating with the death of the late Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) and its aftermath.
Part two, which comes to the streamer on 14 December, leaps forward in time. Diana’s children, Prince William and Harry are now growing up, with new actors playing them as William heads to university at St Andrews, where he meets future wife Kate Middleton.
In new pictures released on Tuesday (28 November), the moment William (Ed McVey) meets Kate (newcomer Meg Bellamy) is captured on screen.
The young Kate is seen donning a sheer shimmering see-through dress and parading it on the catwalk of a charity fashion show at university. In real life, Kate wore a similar dress at a 2002 event while studying, with William in the audience at the event.
Meg Bellamy (centre) as Kate Middleton— (Justin Downing/Netflix)
Kate and William (Ed McVey) meet— (Keith Bernstein/Netflix)
William meets the crowds— (Justin Downing/Netlix)
Photos also show Kate and William speaking at a university event, while another has William greeting royal fans waving Union Jack flags through gates.
William is also pictured two with his brother Harry, as well as on a much-photographed ski trip with their father Prince Charles (Dominic West). The trio went skiing together a number of times, including to Klosters in Switzerland ahead of his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles.
Of Charles, there is also an image of the future King stood arm-in-arm with Camilla (Olivia Williams). The future Queen Consort is dressed in white, presumably at the pair’s 2005 wedding.
Harry (Luther Ford) and William— (Justin Downing/Netflix)
Dominic West’s Charles (centre) with sons William and Harry— (Netflix)
Charles and Camilla (Olivia Williams)— (Justin Downing/Netflix)
It had previously been hinted that The Crown would end in 2005 with the pair’s nuptials. In September, teasing part two of the final season, Netflix shared on social media a photo of a wedding programme.
The document is a “service of prayer and dedication following the marriage of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall”, stating that the wedding will take place on “Sunday 9 April 2005 at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle”.
Other photos give a glimpse at the Queen (Imelda Staunton) and Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce), as well as Princess Margaret (Lesley Manville), in the final season. Prime minister Tony Blair (Bertie Carvel) is also shown standing outside Downing Street.
Bertie Carvel as Tony Blair— (Netflix)
Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) with Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce)— (Justin Downing/Netflix)
Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret— (Netflix)
The description of The Crown season six part two reads: “Prince William tries to integrate back into life at Eton in the wake of his mother’s death as the monarchy has to ride the wave of public opinion.
“As she reaches her Golden Jubilee, the Queen reflects on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new Royal fairytale in William and Kate.”
The Crown season six part two arrives on Netflix on 14 December. Part one is available to stream now.
