The Crown star Meg Bellamy reveals trolls branded her 'too fat' to play Kate in the show

24 June 2024, 14:30 | Updated: 24 June 2024, 14:40

Meg Bellamy played Kate Middleton in The Crown
Meg Bellamy played Kate Middleton in The Crown. Picture: Alamy

By Emma Soteriou

The Crown star Meg Bellamy has revealed internet trolls called her "too fat" to play the Princess of Wales in the show.

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Bellamy portrayed Kate in the final season of The Crown, which explored how the princess first met Prince William at the University of St Andrews and how their relationship developed.

The 21-year-old said she suffered a lot of negativity over her body after she was cast in the role.

She said she was forced to distance herself from the comments, saying the trolls are "the losers".

Read more: 'I just had to disappear': Carol Vorderman shares how grief led her to run away following death of Richard Whiteley
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Amanda Abbington forced to call police after being bombarded with death threats from troll fans of Giovanni Pernice

Meg Bellamy
Meg Bellamy. Picture: Alamy

"I'd had this long day of press, it had gone well, then I went on my phone and there was all this negative stuff about my body online," Bellamy said.

"The comments were mostly: 'You're too fat to play Kate.'

“That was a glimpse into being a woman in this industry... I thought: 'OK, that's a sign to distance yourself, because it doesn't mean anything.'

"You can't listen to that sort of stuff - not least because most of it is written by internet trolls, or men called Gary who are holding a fish in their profile picture.

"I've had so many amazing things happen to me. They're the losers for saying that. I'm living my best life over here."

Meg Bellamy as Kate
Meg Bellamy as Kate. Picture: Alamy

Bellamy said she had turned to her co-stars for support while filming the show, including Elizabeth Debicki, who played Diana in the same season.

"She's been so supportive - I can call her about anything," she said.

The actress said she has since “tried to put the character behind” her but she "feels for [Kate] and for the family" following her cancer diagnosis.

Kate made her first public appearance since last year for the Trooping the Colour earlier in the month.

She revealed in March that she was receiving treatment for cancer, following abdominal surgery in January.

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