Catherine H. Flemming

Catherine Flemming was a German actress who became known to British and North American audiences nearly three decades into her career when she played the Duchess of Kent on the TV drama "Victoria" (ITV/PBS, 2016-). Born in Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany, Flemming got her first role in 1994, in an episode of the long running crime drama "Der Late (The Fox)" (ZDF, 1977-). She soon became a fixture on German television, appearing on such programs as "Um die 30" (ZDF, 1995-), "All mine Töchter" (ZDF, 1994-1999), before landing her first series regular role on "Die Flughafenklinik" (RTL, 1995-1996). Before long, Flemming moved into films, including "Rohe Ostern" (1996), "Still Movin'" (1997), and "Hunger: Longing for Love" (1997). Her biggest film appearance came in Oskar Roehler's acclaimed drama "No Place to Go" (2000), which was Germany's submission to that year's Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. She worked with Roehler again on his next film, "Angst" (2003). Flemming continued to be a prolific presence in German film and television over the next few decades, accruing a whopping 80 credits. She landed the role that would become her international breakthrough in 2016, when she was cast as the Duchess of Kent, mother to Queen Victoria in the acclaimed period drama "Victoria" (ITV/PBS, 2016-).