PIPPA MIDDLETON AT THE ROYAL WEDDING Mike Marsland
In a case of life imitating art, a young woman has been plucked from relative obscurity and put on the world stage – The Crown has found its younger sister to the Princess of Wales
In an art-imitating-life move, a young woman has been plucked from relative obscurity and put on the world stage. For much like the moment Pippa Middleton became a household name the second she stepped out of the car and into Westminster Abbey on her sister’s wedding day, so too has an unknown actress been cast to play her in the sixth and final season of The Crown.
The 19-year-old Matilda Broadbridge has beat thousands of budding actors at the audition stages to bag the part of Pippa Middleton in the hit Netflix show. From Bath, her current accolade is winning the Young Actor of the Year title in 2019 at her alma mater Royal High School Bath. Pippa will be her first major screen role.
The young actress is evidently excited about the part. She shared on her instagram: ‘A very short but very sweet trip to Crown land. So excited to announce that I’ll be appearing as Pippa Middleton in The Crown Netflix.’ The part is said to be relatively small, given the fact the final season is understood to be only focusing on the royal wedding briefly. ‘So grateful to have been a tiny part of this production and for this experience,’ Broadbridge said. ‘Keep your eyes peeled.’
Though the part may be small, much like Pippa Middleton herself, Braodbridge may find herself thrust into the spotlight far more than expected. When the middle Middleton sibling made her ‘debut’ as Kate’s bridesmaid, she was suddenly one of the most famous women on the planet. The feverish scrutiny around her led to dogged press interest and even a book deal. Karl Lagerfled himself even had something to say about her famous ‘bottom.’
Association with The Crown is almost as much of a stepping stone to international acclaim as the royal family itself. The show has launched the careers of several of Hollywood’s stars from Emma Corrin and Vaness Kirby to Josh o’Connor and Erin Doherty. All were relative unknowns before starring on the Netflix juggernaut.
The same could be said of Broadbridge and the fellow new young cast of the show. Prince William will be played by recent drama school graduate Ed McVey, and his brother by under-the-radar young actor Luther Ford, both of whom have seen their visibility skyrocket since the cast announcement.
This was originally published on Tatler.
