The death of King Alfred left the fans confused, because none of the characters seemed ready to fulfill his dream of a united England as the last kingdom. Then came Aethelflaed, the best Saxon swordswoman The Last Kingdom has had so far, with a bigger vision than that of her father.

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Aethelflaed not only understands the need to coexist with Danes, but she also knows what is good for both Wessex and Mercia, and probably the whole of England. According to the books, Aethelflaed is supposed to die soon, which has left many fans speculating about the future of the talented British actress and model Millie Brady. Although her character is beloved, most fans know little about the actress behind the role.

Her Early Life

Millie was born Camilla Brady in London, and still lives in North London with her sister. Unlike Aethelflaed, whose life was planned by her parents, Millie Brady has forged her own interesting path. There are few known details about her childhood, but it is obvious she wanted to be an actress.

She grew up traveling a lot around England, and then joined St. Mary’s School Ascot in London until she was 18. She started acting at a young age in school plays. She played a milk bottle in her first school play, and had to lie a little bit to her parents to make it sound important to impress them. She upped the ante when she scored her first major role in the 2014 film Mr. Selfridge, portraying Violette Selfridge.

Her Modelling Career

Millie Brady Playing Violette Selfridge in Mr. Selfridge

Lady Aethelflaed the sword maide, is also one of the most influential models in the UK. Millie Brady just happens to be one of the richest models in the world, with a net worth over $3 million. She is most famous for having modeled for Miu Miu, which helped her attract lots of attention.

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She has appeared on the cover photos of Bird Of Paradise, MINE Magazine, and Vulkan Magazine. Her great performance in both film and TV has, however, overshadowed her modeling career, as fans seem to enjoy her roles as a strong woman defying the norms more than her work as a model.

Her Early Career

Millie Brady Portraying Princess Catia in King Arthur Legend Of The Sword

Millie Brady has been acting professionally for less than a decade, but she is already killing it at the top. Her role in Mr. Selfridge was her stepping stone to playing Joan Collins in Legend, which had a bigger following. Her abilities on the big screen were solidified by her performance as Mary Bennet alongside Lena Headey and in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies in 2016

Her stellar performance in the historical horror comedy led to her breakthrough role of Princess Catia in 2017 in King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword. She also joined the cast of The Last Kingdom in the same year.

Playing Strong Women

Millie Brady Played Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Millie Brady’s entire acting career has been molded by playing strong independent women who enjoy breaking stereotypes, and it is working well for her. In an interview, she confessed that she always wanted to play gutsy characters that don’t exactly live according to the norm. She started the trend by playing Elizabeth Bennet’s headstrong daughter in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Playing the powerful princess Catia who didn’t bow to King Arthur like everyone else in King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword proved her exceptional ability to portray strong women.

Her Love Life

Millie Brady and Alexander Dreymon in The Last Kingdom S04

Lady Aethelflaed was unlucky, as she was forced to marry Aethelred, the manipulative prince of Mercia, leading to her disastrous marriage. She was, however, lucky enough to win the heart of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a perfect romance that she had to give up to be the queen of Mercia. Millie Brady has been luckier than Aethelflaed in her love life, though.

She was dating the One Direction singer and songwriter Harry Styles in 2013, but that ended after a few dates leaving Millie to focus on her career. She is currently in a longterm relationship with Charley Rothwell Palmer.

Martial Arts And Stunts

Millie Brady as Lady Aethelflaed in The Last Kingdom s04

Portraying strong women in historical drama and TV has its upsides, but it is a tall order if actors don’t master your stunts. Millie Brady enjoys playing Lady Aethelflaed and really wanted to give her the appropriate fighting skills. She took extra time to train and master the stunts, because she wanted Aethelflaed to be as good as the boys at swinging the sword.

She got the hang of it and insisted on doing own simplified stunts with the help of the stunt team. Her dedication has helped make Aethelflaed the powerful fighter loved by all fans in The Last Kingdom.

Her View On Lady Aethelflaed

Lady Aethelflaed looking cautious in The Last Kingdom

Playing Princess Catia made Millie popular, but Aethelflaed seems to be her most adored role on the screens so far. She enjoys playing the role of this limitless princess, breaking the norms to achieve her father’s dream of a united England.

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Millie Brady said, “Aethelflaed is very strategic, like her dad, and she’s got this huge inner fire which I think comes from her mum’s feisty side.” She has since put in extra training and hours to help create the badass character that has thrived past the male-dominated Mercian Earldom.

Roles Outside The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom has overshadowed other screen roles that Millie has taken since 2017. However, Millie Brady has actually taken up other demanding roles while still playing Aethelflaed.

She portrayed Anastasia in the 2018 film Teen Spirit, and also appeared in Intrigo: Samaria as Vera. She also plays Sally Jones in White House Farm. She was rumored to be cast in The Clan Of The Cave Bear, a role that is likely to portray a different version of Millie Brady fans haven’t seen before. She continues to model for Mine Magazine as well.

Her Unforgettable Date

The Last Kingdom S02-Lady Aethelflaed

Millie Brady is her own kind of fashion model and actress, as she has managed to keep most of her awkward moments away from the camera. However, in 2013, dating Harry Styles came with lots of attention. She was only 19 years old and going on her second date with the British musician and songwriter, when the gaps in her relationship got exposed by a bungled date.

Harry Styles was set to meet Millie at the Kuku club in Cardiff in March 2013. Millie Brady had to travel for two hours from London to Cardiff, but Harry was a no show. It is believed to be the reason why the two broke up prematurely.

Her Creative Contributions To King Arthur-Legend Of The Sword

King-Arthur-Legend-of-The-Sword-Cover

Millie Brady has proved herself as the actress to watch with the few roles she has had on both TV and the silver screens so far. She was invaluable in creating the perfect Princess Catia that brought out the place of a strong independent woman in King Arthur’s male-dominated court.

She hasn’t said much about her contributions in directing The Last Kingdom, but it is obvious that her skills could still be useful in the continuity of the show in case Aethelflaed has to die.

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