Matt Smith was a staple of Netflix’s “The Crown” during its first two seasons, where he starred as Prince Philip opposite Claire Foy’s Queen Elizabeth II. Smith’s portrayal of the British royal not only earned critical acclaim and an Emmy nomination, but it also generated an unexpected response from Philip’s grandson, Prince Harry. Smith revealed on “Today” that Prince Harry once addressed him as “granddad” when they met while playing polo.
“I met Harry once, at polo, which sounds a bit grand, but it wasn’t that grand,” Smith said. “And he walked up to me and went, ‘Granddad.’”
Smith added, “He watched the show! Well, I can’t claim to know if he watches it currently, but he watched a bit of it then.”
“Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie told Smith, “Well, he certainly watched your episodes.”
Smith originated the role of Prince Philip on “The Crown.” The actor left the series after two seasons and was replaced by Tobias Menzies when the show rebooted its cast. Heading into its final two seasons, “The Crown” will feature Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip opposite Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II.
Production on “The Crown” was suspended earlier this month after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The show did not film on the day the Queen’s death was announced, nor will it shoot on the day of the Queen’s funeral.
Interest in the Netflix series has been reignited following the Queen’s passing, with Variety reporting that the show’s viewership in the U.K. increased more than 800% in the two days after her death.
“The Crown” won a total of 11 Emmys for its fourth season, including outstanding drama series. The series is produced by Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television for Netflix.