Featured Image Credit: NETFLIX / PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
Topics: TV And Film, Netflix, The Crown, Royal Family
Ali Condon
Topics: TV And Film, Netflix, The Crown, Royal Family
Matt Smith has said that Queen Elizabeth II had been a big fan of Netflix's The Crown, and would watch episodes on her projector on Sunday nights.
The actor played Prince Philip in seasons one and two of the drama series alongside Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth and John Lithgow as Winston Churchill.
Since the series debuted on Netflix back in 2016, there has been speculation as to whether any members of the royal family had decided to tune in, and what they thought of it.
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Seemingly confirming suspicions while speaking to NBS's Today Show this week, Matt said: "I heard the Queen had watched it, and she used to watch it on a projector on a Sunday night apparently.
“I know that Philip definitely didn’t. A friend of mine sat next to him at a dinner once and he asked him... apparently he turned around to him and said ‘don’t be ridiculous'."
Matt also revealed that he plans on flying back to the UK to be home for the Queen's funeral, due to be held on Monday 19 September.
“I think it’s a piece of history", he said.
“I think I just want to be in London. I want to experience it, I want to share in the ceremony of it really."
Although his mum is hoping to go to the procession, he would most likely watch the service 'in a local pub with a group of friends'.
Matt's comments come after his former co-star Claire Foy spoke about what an honour it was to play the Queen on screen.
Speaking to the BBC at the Toronto Film Festival, she said: “I think that she was an incredible monarch.
“She united people and she was a massive symbol of continuity and dignity and grace.”
When news of Queen Elizabeth's passing was announced, producers of The Crown confirmed that they had halted filming for the upcoming season.
Despite that, Netflix has recently revealed that the first series has entered the streamer’s global top 10 for the week of September 5-11.
The series landed in seventh position for TV shows in the English language, with nearly 17.6 million hours viewed globally.
The upcoming fifth series of the lavish royal drama, currently due to air in November, will see Dominic West star as Charles and Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Crown was due to end after its fifth series, but the show’s creator and writer Peter Morgan later said it will be extended to include a sixth.