The Crown season 6 finds its Kate Middleton as Netflix drama jumps ever closer in time

Middleton will appear as a character in Netflix drama’s final season

The Crown has found its Kate Middleton.

Netflix has been hunting for actors to play Middleton in the sixth and final season of the show, which will show her meeting Prince William at St Andrew’s university in 2001.

Middleton will be played by newcomer Meg Bellamy.

It has also been revealed that two new actors have been cast to play Prince William, with each starring as the royal when he’s aged 16 and then 21. The actors are newcomers Rufus Kampa and Ed McVey.

Variety reports that The Crown will be Bellamy’s professional acting debut; she secured the role after submitting an audition tape, having read about the casting on social media.

Production on the sixth season will begin later this year, just before the release of season five on Netflix.

Prince William meeting Kate Middleton will feature in ‘The Crown’ season six (Getty Images)

The next run of Peter Morgan’s drama series will see yet another cast shake-up, with Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce and Lesley Manville set to play Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and Princess Margaret, respectively.