'The Crown' Releases First Photos of Kate Middleton and Prince William Ahead of Final Season

In the sixth and final season of the Netflix hit, the love story between Prince William and Kate Middleton, who met in college in 2001, will be explored

Netflix has released its first official photos of Kate Middleton and Prince William's onscreen portrayls ahead of the release of the final season of The Crown.

The three stills from the forthcoming season show a young Prince William, played by Ed McVey, and Kate Middleton, Meg Bellamy, at the beginning of their relationship. The final season is set to follow the late 1990s and early 2000s of the royal family, including the portrayal of the love story between the current Prince and Princess of Wales.

In one photo, the young couple is holding hands as they walk together, with McVey sporting the future king's signature hairstyle during that time period. His head is turned to face Kate, who stares at her partner lovingly with a smile on her face.

In another still from the show, Kate appears to be in class, while Prince William can be seen sitting in the row behind her, out of focus of the camera.

The final photo released by the streaming giant shows the prince, who is now next in line to the throne after his father, King Charles, dressed in a suit and tie, seated in what looks to be a formal room in the palace.

The first look photos mark the first professional shots released by Netflix of The Crown's final season. However, fans eagerly awaiting the last installment of the show have gotten a few glimpses into what's to come since filming began in September 2022.

Several scenes starring Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana were identified as crews filmed in Spain in the fall, and fans got their first taste of the next generation of royals beginning in March when students on campus spotted McVey and Bellamy in character at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Prince William, 40, and Middleton, 41, met in 2001 while attending school together at the University of St. Andrews, and the award-winning series will recreate the meeting between the two.

Current students at the school got a sneak peek at the upcoming season as the cast was spotted filming several scenes on the same campus the royals once lived in St. Andrews.

In a video that quickly went viral on TikTok, Kate's character was seen holding hands with a man, who is not her now-husband, before walking past Prince William's character, who runs after them.

The creator said the school's "students are having so much fun" seeing the film crews on campus. They also added in a comment that "the actors are actually so sweet to us."

Related:The Crown Cameras Roll on Final Season in London — See the Fresh Faces in the Cast!

Since they began filming at the school, several photos have been taken of the newbie actors as they explore the love story between Britain's future king and queen.

In one shot, McVey's William does a double take as he jogs by an unfazed Middleton.

In another, Kate walks across campus with a backpack on, holding books, while Prince William gazes longingly at her.

The royal couple's chemistry, evident in the photos from the set, won't come as a surprise to fans.

Laura Warshauer, a New Jersey native and student who lived in the same dorm as the pair in the 2000s told PEOPLE, "Whenever Kate was in the room, Will was obviously paying attention to her."

"When we'd be sitting at lunch in the dining hall and the two of them would be talking, it was amazing to see how natural it was, how they had so much to say to each other. Looking back, there were all these small moments — certainly moments where I was like, 'Wow, this could really be something.'"

The couple, who wed in 2011 and have three children, "definitely had chemistry" during their time at university, she said.

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The royals themselves have always been coy about their relationship, but in their engagement interview in 2010, Middleton said it took time for their connection to develop from a friendship into something more.

"I think you said I actually went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off," she told William. "[I was] feeling very shy about meeting you."

"We were friends for over a year first," Prince William added. "It just sort of blossomed from then on."

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