The Crown releases first photos of Kate Middleton and Prince William in sixth 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. Photo / Netflix

The first official photos of the sixth and final season of The Crown have been released by Netflix, and they showcase a certain early 2000s love story that captured the hearts and press of Great Britain.

The three stills from the upcoming season show Meg Bellamy as Kate Middleton and Ed McVey as Prince William at the beginning of their romance.

The season is set to take place in the late 90s and early 2000s, which will include the meeting of the now-Prince and Princess of Wales, according to People.

In one of the photos, the young royal and his girlfriend are seen holding hands and holding each other’s gazes as they walk together. McVey is seen donning Prince William’s iconic hairstyle that became his signature look during the 2000s.

In another still, Kate is seen in a class with William, who is out-of-focus and sitting in the row behind her.

The final picture shows the royal prince dressed in a suit and tie, sitting in what seems to be a Palace living room.

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. Photo / Netflix

The stills act as the first official glimpse of The Crown’s final season. However, fans who have been eagerly awaiting the series’ return have had a few spoilers thrown their way since filming started in September 2022.

Various scenes starring Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana were seen being shot in Spain, and students got a sneak peak of the next generation of royals - William and Kate - when they spotted McVey and Bellamy filming at the University of St Andrews.

William, 40, and Kate Middleton, 41, first met in 2001 while attending university in Scotland. Current St Andrews students got to see the actors recreating the couple’s early encounters at the place where it all started.

A video went viral on TikTok showing Bellamy (Kate) holding hands with a man and walking past McVey (William), who runs after them.

The show’s creator said the “students are having so much fun” seeing the film crews and actors on the university campus, with many exclaiming that “the actors are actually so sweet” to them.

The final photo shows the prince dressed in a suit and tie, seated in what looks to be a formal room in the palace. Photo / Netflix

Since filming started at the famed university, several photos have been shared on social media of the actors exploring the early love story between the couple.

One picture shows McVey’s William doing a double take of Kate, who seems to walk past him unfazed.

Another shows Kate walking while carrying a backpack and some books - with William gazing infatuatedly at her.

One of the shots shows Kate walking across campus with a backpack on, holding books, while William gazes longingly at her. Photo / Getty Images

The couple’s on-set chemistry is undeniable, as was - allegedly - the chemistry between Kate and William when they first started dating.

Laura Warshauer, one of the students who lived in the same dorm as the pair 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.’”

Prince William talks with Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa Middleton at Eton College on March 18, 2006 in Eton, England. Photo / Getty Images

William and Kate, who got married in 2011 and now have three children, “definitely had chemistry” during their time at St Andrews, Warshauer said.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have always been slightly coy about their relationship, keeping it under wraps. However, in their engagement interview in 2010, Middleton revealed that their connection gradually grew over time from a friendship into a relationship.

Ed McVey and Meg Ballamy at the University of St Andrews. Photo / Netflix

“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,”William went on. “It just sort of blossomed from then on.”