The Crown's Matt Smith Feels ''Sorry'' for Meghan Markle: ''Life as She Knows it Is Gone''

Former Doctor Who star, who takes on the role of Prince Philip in the Netflix drama about the royals, gives his unabashed thoughts

By Meg Swertlow Dec 06, 2017 1:08 AMTags

While many may envy Meghan Markle's recent commoner-to-soon-to-be-princess status switch, Matt Smith, who plays Queen Elizabeth's II husband Prince Philip on The Crown, is not one of those people.

During a talk moderated by Vanity Fair’s Mike Hogan, the British actor let his thoughts known on the future-royal's royal future as the wife of Prince Harry.

"I feel sorry for her," said the nonplussed star at the event held at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. "It's such a transition in her life, and it's such a huge thing to take on. Life as she knows it is gone. But hey, she's marrying the prince of Britain—how exciting for her."

Don't sound so thrilled, Matt...

Netflix

Meanwhile, the show's current star, Claire Foy, who was also at the talk, had a more hopeful view of life for Prince Harry's fiancée.

"You realize the fact that Elizabeth forbade her sister from marrying a divorced man; it goes to show how time has changed and how they’ve had to evolve," she said. "And they really have. This would not have been conceivable, this would not have happened 50 years ago. And I think that’s why the monarchy will survive, and thrive, because it’s willing to change and listen to the people and realize that some elements of the institution are outdated and unnecessary.”

Smith's perspective has clearly been shaped by playing the role of the sometimes-bitter man behind queen for the past two seasons, a man whose request to have his children carry his surname was rejected.

In the biography Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith, Philip, who has been married to the queen for 70 years, is believed to have famously said, "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children." He added, "I’m nothing but a bloody amoeba."

Smith is all to aware of what the sacrifices one must make to marry into the monarchy.

After the engagement news, Meghan announced that she was exiting Suits after season seven and revealed she would be retiring from acting to focus on royal duties.

The second season of The Crown will be available on Netflix on Dec. 8.