Prince William films actor Ed McPhee watching Kate Middleton’s Meg Bellamy in St Andrews

The Crown’s Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy are pictured filming the set of the sixth and final series of the hit Netflix drama.

The photos show the actors, playing Prince William and Kate Middleton, respectively, seeing each other while jogging in St Andrews before Ed got a second look at his co-star.

The scenes are believed to depict the Prince and Princess of Wales’ first glimpse of each other while at St Andrews University, where they met and fell in love.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the series finale of The Crown later this year, as the show has already generated controversy as it plans to depict the tragic death of Princess Diana.

Recently filmed scenes are expected to form part of last season, which is said to be set for release later in 2023.

Imelda Staunton will reprise her role as Queen Elizabeth II, with Jonathan Pryce as her husband, Prince Philip.

Elizabeth Debicki will appear again as Princess Diana in the run-up to her death, while Dominic West will play Prince Charles.

Series five of The Crown has come under a lot of criticism over the sensitive subject matter of Charles and his marriage to Diana, after it was released on Netflix in November.

Many have argued that the filming scenes leading up to Princess Diana’s death in Paris were insensitive – and so has the series continuing to be released shortly after the Queen’s death in September last year.

Focusing heavily on the fallout between Princess Diana, played by Debicki, and King Charles (then Prince of Wales) as portrayed by West, the new series showcased a number of low points for the royal family.

Among them were the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage, the late king’s controversial panoramic interview, the infamous phone call between the king and queen, and then Camilla.

Acting royal actress Dame Judi Dench, who is close to King Charles and Camilla, has accused the program of being “crass and hurtful”.

Dame Judy, 87, who plays Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, told The Times that the series risks damaging the monarchy. The Oscar-winning actress blamed it on “crude sensationalism” and a blurring of fact and fiction.

Former Prime Minister Sir John Major slammed a scene in an earlier season showing him having a conversation with then-Prince Charles about a possible Queen’s abdication as “malicious nonsense”.

However, Crown star Gillian Anderson, who played Margaret Thatcher in the fourth series, has responded to the comments – and argues the series could have been more damaging.

Speaking to Richard Eden of the Daily Mail, Gillian said: ‘There are a lot of researchers involved, a lot of people checking and double checking and triple checking.

There is a lot that has not been written about and could be written about. And if you know the difference in those, you will see that there is a great deal of gentleness and self-control.

She added, “At the end of the day, there are situations that are incredibly empathetic and integrated with human beings.

And what you’re left with are complex characters drawn correctly. And there is too much one has to say, “If you don’t do it, we won’t write about it.”