‘The Crown’ Season 6 Portrays Kate Middleton & Prince William’s 2000s Style Quite Accurately

This week, the royal family is once again back in the spotlight. There are new updates on The Crown Season 6, which will feature Kate Middleton and Prince William, played by Meg Bellamy and Ed McVey, respectively, for the first time. On March 17, photos of the actors filming on set were released to the public and fans could not get over how much the two resembled their real-life counterparts. The stars were acting out a scene on the St. Andrews University campus — yes, the very same school where the Prince and Princess of Wales first met — with their outfits baring striking resemblances to that of William and Middleton’s own styles.

McVey wore a red sweater over a pale blue button-down shirt, jeans, a navy jacket, and chunky sneakers. The outfit was eerily similar to the looks Prince William wore while arriving for his first day at St. Andrews University back in 2001. In fact, the whole crew neck knit over a crisp button-down combination is William’s style modus operandi, even to this day. Meanwhile, Bellamy channeled a young Middleton in flared jeans and a utilitarian teal jacket. The brown leather hobo bag and braided belt were the perfect accessory touches to reflect Middleton’s pre-royal style. (Skirt suits and fascinators weren’t always part of her everyday wardrobe, you know.) As you can see below, Middleton actually wore very similar items back in 2005 while attending a festival in England.

Viewers who have been following The Crown since the series debuted in 2016 are sure to feel especially invested in the upcoming storylines of Prince William and Middleton (and not to mention their early aughts-inspired costumes). According to Deadline, the final season of the series will explore the events in the royal family from the late ’90s to the early 2000s. These events will include Princess Diana’s death in 1997 and the prince’s journey, as he matures from a teen to a young university student meeting Middleton for the first time.

A release date for Season 6 has yet to be confirmed, but new episodes will likely hit Netflix in late 2023. In the meantime, for the true royal fans out there, scoop up a few pieces to recreate Middleton and Prince William’s looks from the show, ahead.