'The Crown' casts little-known actress to play Kate in sixth season of Netflix drama

Meg Bellamy, who will be making her on-screen debut, sent producers video auditions before landing the role as the duchess

Meg Bellamy, left, will play Kate, Duchess of Cambridge in the final season of 'The Crown'. Photo: @Diane_field_photography / Getty Images

Meg Bellamy will make her acting debut playing Kate, Duchess of Cambridge in the sixth and final season of Netflix drama The Crown.

The 19-year-old was cast after submitting self-recorded auditions. She will be joined by Ed McVey, 21, and Rufus Kampa, 16, who will both play Prince William at differing stages in his life. Kampa will appear in episodes charting how the British royal family coped with the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in August 1997. McVey will play the prince as he heads to the University of St Andrews, where he met his future wife.

Bellamy took to Instagram after the announcement to express her excitement. “Pinch me please,” she wrote on her account, which has a single post and only 956 followers, something that is sure to change soon.

"So excited to announce that I will be playing Kate Middleton in Series 6 of Netflix’s The Crown. It is such an honour to be joining the most incredible cast and crew, and I will strive to do Kate justice,” she added.

She also posted news stories about her casting on her Instagram Stories, tagging her soon-to-be co-star. "Oh boy – it's official. So beyond excited! Cannot wait to join this wonderful wonderful project and so honoured to be working alongside such a talented cast. @ed_mcvey_ let's do this!"

Netflix had previously claimed the award-winning series would end after five seasons. However, creator Peter Morgan changed his mind, saying that a sixth season was necessary to “do justice to the richness and complexity” of the story.

The fifth season of The Crown is scheduled to launch on Netflix in November, with Imelda Staunton portraying Queen Elizabeth, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Jonathan Pryce as the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Dominic West as the Prince of Wales.

The sixth instalment is expected to follow in late 2023 and will cover Queen Elizabeth II's reign up to the early 2000s. The Crown is one of the most expensive shows ever made, with each season costing more than $100 million to produce. It has been nominated for a total of 423 awards.