The Crown has imagined Kate Middleton and Princess Diana clashing in the sixth and final season of the popular Netflix drama.
At the beginning of the seventh episode, teenager Kate is shopping for clothes in London with her mother Carole Middleton when the couple spots Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki, and Prince William selling copies of “The Big Issue.”
A young Kate gives Diana some money and the King notes at the meeting between the two, “This is very generous,” with the Princess encouraging her son to thank his future wife.
However, The Crown writers appear to have imagined the couple's crossing of paths – as the current Princess of Wales confirmed last spring that she had never actually met her mother-in-law.
The scene, which was released today in the second part of the final season and looks at the blossoming relationship between Kate and William, also shows Carole (Eve Best) seemingly getting involved. She tells her daughter to “flaunt your figure that the boys will like” before setting her sights on William as a suitor for Kate.
The Crown has imagined Kate Middleton and Princess Diana clashing in the sixth and final season of the popular Netflix drama. Pictured: Elizabeth Debicki as Diana
After leaving a shop in London, Kate and Carole spot Princess Diana and Prince William selling copies of “The Big Issue” at the beginning of the seventh episode.
After Kate hands Diana a note, the king says: “That's very generous.” She then asks the future Princess of Wales her name and asks Prince William to thank her.
The future Prince and Princess of Wales then exchange a knowing look as William hands over the copy of the magazine.
However, it is extremely unlikely that the meeting ever happened – Kate confirmed last spring that she had never actually met Diana.
While speaking to royal fans in Aberfan, Kate said it was an “honor” to wear Diana's engagement ring – after a member of the public admired it.
The princess then said: “Unfortunately I never met her.”
The Princess of Wales then went on to say that Diana was a “brilliant grandmother” and stressed how much she was “missed every day”.
However, Princess Diana was known as a Big Issue supporter and often bought copies outside Sloane Square station, not far from her home at Kensington Palace.
At the beginning of the seventh episode, teenage Kate is shopping for clothes in London with her mother Carole Middleton when the couple spots Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki, and Prince William selling copies of The Big Issue
A young Kate gives Diana some money and the King notes at the meeting between the two, “This is very generous,” with the Princess encouraging her son to thank his future wife
Elsewhere in the final series, Kate, played by Meg Bellamy, confesses during her first meeting with William in the library that she traveled to Chile on her year abroad and missed her future husband by just a few days.
When Kate talks about how close they live together in the hallways, she tells William, “I only know it's your room downstairs because they checked us for bugs.”
“I told them if they were afraid I was going after you, I could have just done it in Chile on the Gap Year International Raleigh Expedition.” Kate then says to William, “We missed each other by a week.”
In late 2000, Prince William traveled to Chile with the Raleigh International Expedition, where he helped build local infrastructure.
The following month, Kate completed the same trip before moving to Florence with friends for three months.
There were rumors at the time that Prince William would visit the Tuscan capital for a similar pre-university art course – but that never materialized.
Kate also complains in the episode that her mother Carole chose her relationship with William.
After her boyfriend Rupert leaves the family home, The Crown's Kate tells her mother: “Was it a coincidence that you encouraged me to sign up for the art course in Florence, where William was supposed to go – and then also for the expedition in Chile?” where he went.'
“I thought you would thank me,” says the dramatized Carole. “You said you liked him.”
Kate's mother then says that she thinks her daughter is “special” and that “poor” William “needs a nice, normal girl.”
William and Kate, described as the “fittest” girl in university, admire each other from a distance in the St Andrews scenes in episode seven.
Netflix assumed the couples had similar interests, from “Miss Middleton” checking out a library book William had requested to swimming laps together – although Kate was faster.
Meanwhile, Kate watches as William kisses another girl, his first girlfriend Lola, while she works and waits tables at a restaurant. However, as far as the public is concerned, Prince William never had a girlfriend named Lola.
William and Kate, described as the “fittest” girl in university and played by Meg Bellamy, admire each other from a distance in the St Andrews scenes of the seventh episode
The couple have their first real conversation in the library, where they discuss their years abroad in Chile, where they supposedly missed each other by a week.
William compared Kate to an “extraordinary” person who excels at everything, which made his girlfriend jealous when she found out.
But the imaginary conversation took a turn when a fellow student asked William if he would mind signing an autograph. He replied, “Yes, I would actually do that.” We chat. Just go away.'
Kate, obviously under the impression that William was being rude, packed up her books to leave.
Despite Williams' attempt to defend herself, “I get that all the time.” “You have no idea what it's like to live with that kind of attention day in and day out,” Kate remained unfazed.
She replied, “What's being stared at?” Constantly being looked at and judged…Try being a girl.' Directors of The Crown portrayed William as misunderstanding Kate's remark with his response, “A fit girl.”
Despite previous dissatisfaction between a fictional Lola and Kate, the two here agree on this front.
Lola supported Kate and said: “Don't try to be any girl.” If that doesn't work, you could at least try to be a human being without reducing every woman to whether she is fit.” The two then storm out together the library.
Meanwhile, it's not just Kate who's attracting attention – in the Netflix series, William is presented as a heartthrob who is desired by women all over the world.
Willsmania is in full force in the final season, with the king being presented with a hefty sack full of “letters from all over the world – mostly young ladies” in the fifth episode.
The letters mourned the loss of Diana while also mentioning William's appearance.
Later in the episode, William attends Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip's golden wedding anniversary celebration.
The Netflix series featured Prince William, played by Ed McVey, as a national heartthrob during his teenage years
He was in the same procession as his grandparents, and the “audience” consisted of screaming teenage girls – all there for Wills.
The episode then showed an imaginary conversation between Charles, played by Dominic West, and Camilla, played by Olivia Williams.
Camilla wasn't surprised by the attention William received because “he's such a pretty boy.”
Camilla later compared Williams' situation to the media frenzy that Diana once created: “There's a distinct sense of déjà vu to the whole thing,” she said. “He looks strikingly like his mother,” she added.
Charles replied to Camilla: “Yes, and it's painful to watch because Will – unlike Diana – is a shy old thing who doesn't like that kind of attention.”
Later in the episode, William returned to school around Valentine's Day and again had two bags full of love letters.
Fast forward, and William arrived in Canada with Charles and Harry. As they get off the plane, they are greeted again by screaming girls.
Harry, played by Luther Ford, teases his big brother about all the girls and remarks that he is “jealous” because “in the history of mankind, no one has ever cried out for someone with red hair.”
The brothers then tuned into a Canadian news channel where the announcer said: “There's a new teen heartthrob in town – tall, blonde and blessed with his mother's good looks, Prince William is officially a sensation.”
“The world has been gripped by Willsmania – with his blushing and demure smile, the young prince sometimes seemed embarrassed to be in the spotlight, but for the many girls chanting his name, it only added to his appeal.”
Although hundreds of girls called him Prince Charming, William expressed clear signs of disdain for the increasing attention from the opposite sex.
Later in the series, William traveled to Scotland for his first day at St Andrews University. Once again the streets were full of royal fans.
Flags are waved and screams can be heard as William arrives in the car with his father for his first day at Scottish university. But despite the cheering crowd, the young prince was again full of excitement about the reception.
The final installment of the big-budget royal drama, which has drawn criticism for scenes depicting the lead-up and aftermath of Princess Diana's death in Paris, focuses on the young royals.