There will be no more Queen when we all awake tomorrow. This afternoon, the world lost one of its most recognisable monarchs, and the Internet was quick to respond with tributes to Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96. Politicians and diplomats were the most vocal, but the movie and TV stars also chimed in because a woman has been the focus of several productions. Dame Helen Mirren was one of the many who shared their condolences with the world via Instagram. In a brief statement, Mirren said that she was “happy to be an Elizabethan” and expressed a sentiment shared by many: Queen Elizabeth II “was the essence of nobility,” with or without the crown that separated her apart from the rest of the world.
Also, Mirren posted a black-and-white profile photo of Elizabeth from her younger years, which was likely taken during the beginning of her reign (Elizabeth became queen at the age of twenty-five, in 1977). Filmgoers were not surprised by Mirren’s response to the news because her most recognisable part was that of the Queen. In Stephen Frears’ 2006 film The Queen, Helen Mirren portrayed the British monarch during a specific period: the week following Princess Diana’s untimely death. It’s a well-known anecdote in our modern history since it marks a blemish on an otherwise impeccable record.
Due to their strained relationship within the British monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II initially refrained from publicly showing her sympathy for Diana. The video faithfully recreates Elizabeth’s renowned televised condolence message, which she gave after Diana’s death and which changed her mind and actions. Dame Helen Mirren, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Elizabeth II in The Queen, returned to the role in The Audience, a play set in the same world that focused on a series of encounters between the monarch and her prime ministers.
For her role as Elizabeth, for which she received the Tony Award in 2015, Mirren is one of the few living actors to have won the top honours in two distinct productions. Prince Philip, the monarch’s late husband, was portrayed by James Cromwell (Succession) in The Queen. He lived to be 99 years old. Alex Jennings portrayed the future king of England, Prince Charles (A Very English Scandal). King Elizabeth I’s mother, the Duchess of York, played by Sylvia Syms (EastEnders), and former prime minister Tony Blair, played by Michael Sheen (Good Omens), are two other prominent figures in the plot.