If you clicked into this story searching for a saucy show about Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge that could rival the (English Breakfast) tea spilled on The Crown, then, well, this isn't it. Instead, Netflix's latest series, The Duchess, is about a different Katherine, Katherine Ryan, that is, and it proves to be—as the Brits would say—a cheeky good time. Here's everything to know about season 1 of Netflix's rom-com The Duchess.
What's The Duchess about?
The six episodes follow Katherine, a melodramatic single mom in London with an over-the-top sense of style, a unique relationship with her daughter, Olive, and a deep fear of commitment. Katherine debates having a second kid with her ex (a washed up boy bander). The only problem? She can't stand him, leading to some awkward run-ins. Think: Gilmore Girls meets Fleabag.
Who stars in The Duchess?
The show stars Canadian actress and comedian Katherine Ryan, who also wrote the series and served as one of the its executive producers. She's much better known across the pond, having hosted several UK panel and comedy shows like Comedy Central UK's Roast Battle, and Your Face or Mine with Jimmy Carr.
The comedian already has two live stand-up specials on Netflix, Katherine Ryan: In Trouble (2017) and Katherine Ryan: Glitter Room (2019), so you can get acquainted with her irreverent sense of humor before her show premieres.
The show is loosely based on Ryan's own life, she previously confirmed to RadioTimes.com. “The Duchess is super authentic I think to my personality, to my stage persona, because it’s a disruptive mum who’s a bad person but a good mum. She’s fashionable, she loves being a mother she’s not sad about it — it’s me, yes. The rest is fiction, but it is a heightened version of me, and I’m really lucky because they’re just letting me go and write the real thing that I would have wanted to, and I don’t think I would have been as lucky with a traditional network, I don’t think they would give me the same liberty that Netflix does. It’s gonna be fun.
The Duchess also stars Steen Raskopoulos as Katherine's devoted boyfriend, Rory Keenan as her ex, Michelle De Swarte as her straight-shooting best, and Kate Bryne as Katherine's precocious daughter.
Katherine with her daughter Olive (Kate Bryne).
When does The Duchess premiere?
The show will hit the streaming giant on Friday, September 11. Watch the trailer now.
Is Netflix's The Duchess about Kate Middleton?
No. And it's also not about Meghan Markle. But there's always hope the Duchess of Sussex could make a cameo in a yet-to-be-confirmed season 2.
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As Marie Claire’s senior news and culture editor, Neha oversees all things entertainment, pop culture, and current events from TV shows and movies we can’t stop bingeing to celebrities we can’t stop 'shipping. She loves a hot-take, has an extensive knowledge of award shows, and knows the astrological signs of everyone in the royal family and the 'Friends' cast. Before joining Marie Claire, she held positions at Glamour, Brides, Condé Nast, and Mashable, and is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism.
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