He is known for playing the role of Prince Philip on the hugely popular Netflix series The Crown.
But throughout his acting career Matt Smith has met several members of the Royal Family on multiple occasions.
Loyal fans of the drama based on the British monarchy have long wondered whether or not the famous family have actually ever watched popular TV series which is based on their rich history and lives.
READ MORE: Netflix bosses slammed as 'sadistic' for recreating Diana's final hours in The Crown
As the Doctor Who star prepares to celebrate his 40th birthday with a bang, Daily Star have taken a look inside his royal connections since he took on the prestigious role.
Meeting King Charles
Matt Smith was first cast in the leading role when the series first launched back in 2016 where he starred alongside Claire Foy who played the role of Queen Elizabeth II.
In preparation for the role, the award-winning actor watched a slew of interviews the young prince gave as well as his more recent appearances on the silver screen.
In addition to drawing on his research, the TV hunk also once met the Prince Philip’s son – now King Charles III – at a red carpet event where he made sure to take on his fashion tips.
Ahead of his latest show, House of Dragon, he opened up about his meeting the royal where he complimented him on his fashionable footwear.
He said: “I met the now King Charles, told him that I thought he had fabulous shoes, which he told me he had for 30 years.
“They were like red brogues,” he added. “They were beautiful.”
During the third series, the King introduced himself to the new cast by saying: "Hello, nice to meet you all. I'm nowhere near how they portray me on Netflix."
Meeting Prince Harry
But that’s not the only member of the royal family he has met during his established acting career, after the Matt bumped into Prince Harry during a competitive polo match.
Before they took to the to the playing field, the Duke of Sussex couldn’t help but poke fun at his contender, as he cheekily called the star 'Granddad' in reference to his role on the Netflix show.
During an interview with TODAY, the actor recalled: “He walked up to me and went, ‘Granddad’. He watched the show.
"I can’t claim to know if he watches it currently, but he watched a bit of it then," he clarified.
Last year, the dad-of-two revealed to viewers on The Late Late Show with James Corden that he still enjoys the show every now and again.
As he joined the Gavin and Stacey star on an open-top bus in the heart of LA, he admitted that one of the things he loves about the show is that it "doesn't pretend to be news".
He said: "They don't pretend to be news – it's fictional. But it's loosely based on the truth.
"Of course, it's not strictly accurate, of course not, but loosely it gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle, the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, what can come from that."
The royal added: "I'm way more comfortable with The Crown than I am seeing the stories written about my family of my wife or myself.
"Because… that [The Crown] is obviously fiction, take it how you will. but this is being reported on as fact because you're supposedly news. I have a real issue with that."
The Queen watched the show
And it appears as though Prince Harry isn't the only person to have watched the show after Matt shared his inside knowledge that the late Queen Elizabeth II also tuned in to the show.
It is understood that her Majesty watched her fictionalised self on the popular drama on a Sunday evening on a large projector.
He explained to presenters Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb on the daytime show: “I heard the Queen had watched it, and she used to watch it on a projector on a Sunday night, apparently, I know Philip definitely didn’t."
And he's not the only person who heard that the matriarch watched the show after Vanessa Kirby – who played the role of Princess Margaret in the first two series – after a pal of hers bumped into Princess Eugenie at a party.
Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, she recalled: "A friend of mine was at a part and didn't know anyone, so he sidled up to this group who were talking about The Crown.
"One girl said, 'Well, my granny watches it and really likes it'. It slowly dawned on him that the girl was Eugenie and her granny was the Queen."
Philip wasn't a fan
However the TV show didn't blow everyone in the royal family away, after the award-winning actor confessed that the man he portrayed in the show wasn't impressed with the TV series.
Speaking to People magazine, Matt recalled how a friend of his was honoured enough to sit next to him at an exclusive dinner where he quizzed him on his viewing habits.
He told the publication: "A friend of mine sat next to him at a dinner once and I think Philip asked my friend if he made The Crown.
"Then the first course came out, and then the second course came out and then the third course came out and my friend couldn't resist.
"By the end of the meal he was like, 'Philip I have to ask, have you watched the crown?' and apparently he turned around to him and went, 'Don't be ridiculous'."
Although Philip wasn't a fan of the period drama, the actor was undoubtedly still a fan on his work ethic and love for Her Majesty the Queen.
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After meeting the late royal on several occasions through the years, he said: "I found him to be a real moderniser, he was really interesting and I kind of fell in love with Philip really.
"He was great and he loved her, he really made her laugh, they were a fabulous couple together."
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