Well, this is a first! The Crown star Matt Smith recently gave his unique perspective on Meghan Markle‘s engagement to Prince Harry. The actor is currently promoting the upcoming second season of the Netflix original and during a talk in NYC, expressed his thoughts on the downside of marrying into the royal family.

“I feel sorry for her,” Matt admitted. “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.”

prince harry & meghan markle getty images

Possibly the most interesting part of the interview is the fact that Matt sounds like he’s speaking in his character, Prince Philip, that he portrays on The Crown. Season 1 of the show showed the power struggle between Queen Elizabeth (played by Claire Foy) and Prince Philip as they navigated married life in the spotlight.

“I feel like I understand [Prince Philip] more emotionally. I’m very fond of him, actually. I’d defend him to the hilt,” he explained in a previous interview. “We shine a light on things which they endured that were very difficult, as any marriage will endure if it lasts that long, but look at them — they look terribly happy at the moment.”

The show’s stars have agreed that Harry and Meghan’s marriage couldn’t have been able to take place years ago. In that way, it is extremely different from Princess Margaret‘s (played by Vanessa Kirby) Season 1 storyline.

“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,” Claire added referencing the fact that Meghan is a divorcee. “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thrive, because it’s willing to change and listen to the people and realize that some elements of the institution are outdated and unnecessary.”

Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Prince William, and all things royal!