Ever since Matt Smith reigned as Prince Phillip on The Crown and also as Prince Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, it’s easy to forget that he is Just A Guy and not an actual member of the royal family. But when it comes to the actual royal family, it seems like they might have appreciated his role after all!
While on The Today Show, Smith revealed that he actually met Prince Harry, Phillip’s grandson, while playing polo. Polo is one of the most royal-adjacent things you can do, as it is literally nicknamed “the sport of kings.” At the event, Smith ran into Prince Harry, who gave him a familiar greeting. “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 then mimcked a very stern handshake.
Smith added, “He watched [The Crown]! Well, I can’t claim to know if he watches it currently, but he watched a bit of it then.” He knew enough of it to be aware that Smith played Prince Phillip, so that’s definitely something! Smith also mentioned that he has met the now King Charles, and complimented his shoes.
Production on the current season of The Crown is currently suspended out of respect for the Queen, but the show saw a massive spike in viewership after her death last week. It’s unclear if the royals really watch the show, which follows their family over decades. The current reincarnation of Prince Phillip will be portayed by Tobias Menzies on the upcoming season of the Netflix drama.
Even though he’s not really a Prince, Smith traveled the universe for several years as The Doctor, so he’s basically British royalty anyway.