'The Crown' New Season Shows Prince William Meeting Kate Middleton

"The Crown" is returning for its sixth and final season ... and we've now got a visual of how they'll portray Prince William's first meeting with his future wife Kate Middleton.

Ed McVey, who portrays the prince during his late teen/college years, and Meg Bellamy, who plays Kate, were fully into character in a series of photos taken on set in St. Andrews, Scotland earlier this week.

In the photos, the younger "royals" recreate William and Kate's first encounter at St. Andrews University in Scotland in 2001 ... giving fans a glimpse into their romance in its earlier years. And, we gotta say, casting for the two appears to be spot on.

As you know, the Prince and Princess of Wales started dating back in 2001 ... building on their legacy ever since.

The Netflix hit series chronicles the royal family in the wake of Princess Diana's death in 1997. And, the show is expected to take fans along a royal ride well into the late '90s and early 2000s.