They might play Prince William and Kate Middleton with eerily accurate perfection in The Crown, but devoid of their period costumes, Meg Bellamy (21) and Ed McVey (24) bear only a passing resemblance to the royal couple. Ed’s round spectacles give him a bookish air, while Meg’s vegan cowboy boots, bought from Depop, are a reminder of how recently she was just a normal 21-year-old. 'I went vegan two years ago after being around some other people who were, and I felt great,' she smiles.
It’s always interesting interviewing actors on the cusp of fame. But when the actors in question have been cast in one of the most-watched TV shows ever made, it feels particularly piquant. The first part of Netflix’s sixth and final season of The Crown achieved 11.1 million views overnight, reaching the top 10 in 85 countries. While its stars are open and cheerful throughout our interview, their incipient fame is the one subject that causes them ever so slightly to tense. 'It's going to be different for everyone,' says Ed. 'There's no template for it, so you have to cross those bridges when you come to them. If you start picturing it, it's probably not going to be like any of those things, leaving you either terrified or disappointed.'
'It’s so unknown,' agrees Meg. 'You don’t know what to expect in terms of how the show will be received, or what will be really liked.'
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'Or not liked,' adds Ed.
Happily, they’ve had tips from their seasoned co-stars. 'Their main bit of advice was to have a good support group,' says Meg.
'Yeah, have good people around you who you trust and love, and who knew you before,' adds Ed. 'And friends that don't care. It's the new friends [of whom you have to be wary] - ‘are you with me because you actually like me, or because you want something else from the relationship?’
He quips, 'But I don't plan on making any new friends. I have all the friends and family I need.'
The Crown is the first time either of them have ever appeared on screen, and they’re full of praise for director Peter Morgan’s willingness to take a chance on casting unknowns. Ed was at ArtsEd, a drama school in Chiswick, West London, while Meg had been rejected from drama school and was working at Legoland while taking a gap year. They answered the open casting call, which Meg saw on X and Ed was informed of via his agent. 'I loved The Crown and wanted to be an actor, and figured I had nothing to lose,' Meg recalls. After six months of taped and in-person interviews and read-throughs, the parts were finally theirs. 'It was a long journey, but it turned out okay,' says Meg with classic English understatement.
She says it had never crossed her mind that she looked like Kate, prior to auditioning. 'I’d never been told it growing up, but I know I’m not worlds away.' To prep for their auditions, they each studied documentaries to help with their characters’ accents, a process made harder for Meg because no audio of Kate exists from the period that she was at St Andrews’ University. She got into character by applying bronzer in the same way as a 19 year-old Kate, while Ed focused on his hair. 'I went to my barber’s and showed him a picture of young Will. He was like, "um, okay!"'
Their first read-through sounds both daunting and surreal. 'They brought us in to Upper Elstree Studios, and this massive tent full of 150-200 people - everyone who works on the show, all the heads of department, and all of the cast,' recalls Ed. 'Elizabeth Debicki, Jonathan Pryce, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West - everyone' was there. It was wild. I remember watching The Crown during my first year of drama school, and thinking it was the kind of show I’d love to be part of, eventually. I knew I’d never be part of it myself, thinking I’d missed the boat, age wise. I didn’t even consider [playing] the younger Royals.'
Meg says the whole experience has been a joy. 'We can’t compare it to too much, but it really has been amazing. From the writing to the costumes, every department is top of their game.'
'It’s very special,' agrees Ed. 'Everyone on the show says it’s the best show they’ve ever done, and the happiest job. And all those actors have had very long careers. You don’t want to think you’ve peaked too soon.'
'It’s all downhill from here,' jokes Meg.
The cast, they say, were all equally warm and welcoming. Ed namechecks Imelda Staunton, who plays The Queen in this series, as particularly inspirational. 'She’s incredibly lovely and generous - a professional, through and through. She knows exactly what she needs to do. I was so privileged to get to watch these titans of the industry do their thing all day. It was such a masterclass, watching them and how they conduct themselves with such grace.' His favourite memory is of playing air hockey with Jonathan Pryce, who plays The Duke of Edinburgh. 'It doesn't get better than that,' he laughs. 'Although he's incredibly competitive, and it was quite the session. He won.'
It was only when they started shooting in St Andrews that it hit them how popular the show was. 'When you’re filming in a house or studio, you’re in this bubble. There’s no one around apart from your crew and the team,' says Meg. 'But filming in St. Andrews, the contrast was crazy. You go from thinking "what a comfortable environment" to suddenly "oh - this is the show we're on".'
'The world stage,' adds Ed. 'Paparazzi every single day, and lots of crowds being very excited. I’d never experienced that before.'
It certainly was unfamiliar territory, with acting not running in either of their families. Ed grew up in Devon with one older brother, moving to London at 16 to pursue his acting ambitions, while Meg was born in Leeds, and moved to Wokingham in Berkshire - 22 miles away from where Kate Middleton grew up - when she was six. She has a brother, a half brother and two step-brothers. 'Complicated, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,' she smiles.
Neither are royalists, but both say they have newfound respect for the royal family after playing them in The Crown. 'I was lucky coming from an on the fence kind of family, so I had an on the fence view,' says Ed, equably. 'I can see the perks, and I can see the problems.'
'I was always very fascinated by the royals, but I didn't necessarily have strong feelings towards them,' says Meg. 'But you grow really fond of characters that you've spent so much time watching. I'm definitely a Kate-ist.'
Though not to the extent that she’ll wear low-rise jeans. While jeans are the only items that Meg and Kate share a taste for, Meg is definitely a high-rise kind of girl. 'We don’t rush back,' she says of the uncomfortable trend that was popular during Kate’s university days. 'After lunch was when I really felt them,' she laughs, adding that they were helpful for adopting Kate’s posture. 'I would not be sitting like this if I was wearing low rise. They change how you hold yourself, and how you feel.'
Their whirlwind introduction to the world of high fashion is, they agree, as completely unexpected as it’s wonderful. In October, Meg was invited to her first Dior show, while Ed was front row at Hermes, and is also attending the Fendi show in January. 'It’s been 0 - 100, but it’s great,' he says. 'You meet awesome people, get to wear beautiful clothes and stay in nice places. There’s nothing not to love.'
They both seem very grounded. 'Thank you!' says Ed. 'Give me 20 minutes. I…' he stops short, surprised at discovering a sock in the pocket of his jeans. 'I’m a bit naughty - I take socks from shoots because socks are good.'
'I take Gucci belts,' jokes Meg.
'I take Gucci loafers!' jokes Ed. 'Ha, I could take a lot worse.'
Away from the cameras, their lives are low-key. 'I like festivals, but my favourite is close friends in a nice pub - not "out-out",' says Ed.
'I’ve not been to many festivals, but I love live music,' says Meg. 'My only festival this year was Brighton Pride.'
As a parting question, I ask what they’ve learned since joining The Crown. 'To take each day as it comes. Appreciating every day for exactly what it is, and not worrying too much, is the sane way of handling it for me,' says Meg.
'Very similar for me,' says Ed. 'Like, this is what you've always wanted, and even though it comes with some negatives, fundamentally you've got to do what you love to do. And it’s a massive springboard to get to do more of what you love to do.' He takes a final sip of his G&T. 'And breathing,' he smiles, inhaling deeply. 'Breathe. Breathe all the time.'
Season 6 part two of The Crown is out now.
