The cast of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series got a royal surprise this week when they received an unexpected visit from Kate Middleton and her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, but there were two major royals missing from the outing.
According to the Daily Mail, the family toured the set, which included visiting a Hogsmeade Station setup, meeting with members of the cast and watching some scenes being filmed. It was the ultimate day out for any major Harry Potter fan, which the royals have long been. Per the publication, Prince Louis took a ride on the Hogwarts Express, which runs through the woodland that is only a mile from their new home in Forest Lodge.
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A source told the Mail, “It was so special, Kate and the children met the young actors and the director on the set. There was only one night of filming there, so it really was a magical ticket,” adding, “And as for Louis, he got the chance to ride on the train with the driver. He seemed to absolutely love it. It’s the dream for most children to step aboard the Hogwarts Express.”
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But back to the two missing royal Potterheads: The family’s on-set visit was an instant reminder of when Kate, William and Prince Harry attended the official royal opening of the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in April 2013 (except this time around, William and Harry were noticeably absent). Touring the “Making of Harry Potter” exhibit, a then-pregnant Kate was seen excitedly waving her wand as she made her way through various props, costumes and sets from the eight-film series, with William and Harry also participating in the fun.
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According to the BBC, William could be heard during the visit saying, “Harry’s just excited to see a real-life talking owl…I haven’t told him yet that Harry Potter is actually fictional, so please don’t let the secret out just yet.”
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Obviously, Prince Harry wouldn’t be in attendance this time around, but it was conceivable William could have shown up. However, William was away in Scotland visiting his father, King Charles, meaning he missed out on the fun.
As for the upcoming Harry Potter series, a release date is slated for 2027, with the series set to debut on HBO.
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