The Crown Star Matt Smith Said Prince Harry Called Him This After Watching The Series
He also revealed if the Queen watched The Crown.
It turns out Matt Smith, who portrayed a young Prince Philip in the first two seasons of The Crown, has actually had a few real-life interactions with the royal family. While promoting his latest show, House of the Dragon, on Today, the actor recalled once meeting King Charles and Prince Harry. That’s not it. He also revealed whether he thinks Queen Elizabeth II has ever watched The Crown.
“I met the now King Charles, told him that I thought he had fabulous shoes, which he told me he had for 30 years,” Smith said on Sept. 15 to Today hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb. “They were like red brogues. They were beautiful.”
He also recalled being at a polo match when he ran into Prince Harry, who immediately recognized him. “He walked up to me and went, ‘Granddad,’” Smith said, referencing how his portrayal of Prince Philip on the show “He watched the show... I can’t claim to know if he watches it currently, but he watched a bit of it then.”
When asked whether he knew if the other royals had watched the show, Smith didn’t hesitate to spill the tea. “I heard the queen had watched it, and she used to watch it on a projector on a Sunday night, apparently,” he said. “And I know Philip definitely didn’t.”
Smith said he got that info from a friend, who once sat next to Philip at a dinner. “My friend couldn't resist. By the end of the meal he was like, 'Philip I have to ask, have you watched The Crown?” Smith said. “Apparently, he turned round to him and went, 'Don't be ridiculous.'"
Smith, who seemed happy to recount his delightful run-ins with the royals, later revealed he plans to head back home to England following the news of the Queen’s death on Sept. 8. “I just want to be in London,” he said while on the set of Today in New York. “I want to experience it. I think I want to share in the ceremony of it, really.”
According to Deadline, The Crown temporarily suspended filming of Season 6 on Sept. 9 “as a mark of respect” for the Queen before resuming production again on Sept. 14.
Season 5 of The Crown is expected to premiere on Netflix in November. No official release date has been announced.
