Prince Harry has followed in his wife Meghan Markle’s footsteps in landing his first non-royal role as he teams up with ‘Thomas & Friends: The Royal Engine’.
The Duke of Sussex is set to have a starring role in an upcoming episode of Thomas the Tank Engine.
Prince Harry will give an introduction to the programme which will also feature animated versions of The Queen and Prince Charles, although they will not voice themselves.
The special 75th anniversary episode will see Thomas and Friends travel to London where the Fat Controller will attend an investiture at Buckingham Palace.
The Fat Controller will receive an honour for his distinguished service to the railway.
According to the prince, “Thomas the Tank Engine has been a comforting, familiar face to so many families over the last 75 years – entertaining, educating and inspiring children on important issues through exciting stories and characters.
”I certainly have fond memories of growing up with Thomas & Friends and being transported to new places through his adventures.”
“I am very proud to have been asked to take part in this special episode.
I wish Thomas & Friends a very happy anniversary,” he added.
`Thomas the Tank Engine’ was a fictional train borne in 1945 as a character in “The Railway Series” books by Rev. Wilbert Awdry, an Anglican clergyman.
His son, Christopher Awry, later took over from him and also initiated a children’s TV show now called “Thomas and Friends”, which began in 1984 and is still running.
The queen’s grandson can be seen sitting in an armchair with a copy of one of the classic books as he introduced the episode ‘Thomas & Friends: The Royal Engine’, saying: “It all began when a young boy lay ill in bed.
His loving father entertained him with stories of a special railway on the magical island of Sodor.”
“Those stories would go on to become the tales of the most iconic tank engine the world has ever known, Thomas the Tank Engine… ‘
The 22-minute special episode sees Thomas travel to London for the first time to take Sir Topham Hatt to meet the queen, meeting new character, Duchess of Loughborough – voiced by actress Rosamund Pike – along the way.
The short clip was recorded in January, before Harry and wife Meghan Markle quit the royal family, in exchange for a charity to donation.
“I think this is a very beautiful and apt episode for the 75th anniversary episode,” actress Rosamund Pike , who voices the duchess said.
Thomas & Friends, The Royal Engine’ is due to be screened on various channels around the world starting on May 1 in the U.S. on Netflix.
