Prince Harry helps celebrate Thomas the Tank Engine's 75th anniversary. Photo / Mattel
Prince Harry helps celebrate Thomas the Tank Engine's 75th anniversary. Photo / Mattel
The Duke of Sussex is to take his first television role since leaving the royal family, after filming an introduction to a special episode of Thomas the Tank Engine.
The Duke, who was a fan of the stories as a small boy, recorded a short opening scene to the show's 75th-anniversary programme Thomas & Friends: The Royal Engine, which stars the fictionalised Queen and a young Prince Charles.
Recorded at Buckingham Palace in January, the introduction sees the Duke tell viewers he was "very proud" to have been asked to take part, having "fond memories" of growing up with Thomas.
The 22-minute episode will be aired on Netflix. The Duke did not receive a direct fee, with Mattel making a donation to Sussex Royal, the couple's former UK Foundation, which will be spent on his eco-tourism Travalyst project.
Buckingham Palace did not raise any objections to the storyline featuring members of the royal family.
A clip of the Duke's performance was shared by programme-makers yesterday. It follows the Duchess of Sussex narrating a film, Elephant, for which Disney made a donation to Elephants Without Borders.
Prince Harry said: "Thomas the Tank Engine has been a comforting, familiar face to so many families over the last 75 years - entertaining, educating and inspiring children on important issues through exciting stories and characters.
"I certainly have fond memories of growing up with Thomas & Friends and being transported to new places through his adventures.
Prince Harry with headmistress Jane Mynors on his first day at nursery school. Photo / Getty Images
"I am very proud to have been asked to take part in this special episode. I wish Thomas & Friends a very happy anniversary."
The storyline will see Sir Topham Hatt - the Fat Controller - invited to London by the Queen to receive an award for distinguished service to the railway, with a young Prince Charles asking that Thomas be the engine to bring him.
Thomas gets lost along the way and meets the royal train, called the Duchess of Loughborough, voiced by Rosamund Pike.
In January, Harry and his wife Meghan announced they planned to quit as senior royals, seek financial independence and move to North America.
The split became official at the end of March, and the couple are currently in California, where Meghan was raised.
Proof of Harry's attachment to the engine can also be seen in photos of his first day attending nursery school in September 1987, where he is seen carrying a Thomas the Tank Engine bag.
The Rev. Wilbert Awdry released the first book in The Railway Series 75 years ago. It was originally created as a bedtime story for his son, Christopher, during a bout of the measles.
The plucky blue tank engine doesn't appear in the debut story. He got his own illustrated book in 1946 called Thomas the Tank Engine and swiftly took over from Edward, Gordon and Henry as everyone's favourite.
The train tales were turned into a stop-motion animation series in the '80s, moving into CGI in 2009. Thomas and Friends, owned by Mattel, is now on air in over 160 countries worldwide.
