• Helen Mirren once wrote to Queen Elizabeth II
  • The letter was about Lady Diana
  • This is how the story ended

Helen Mirren (76) once wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth II (95) to let her know that she would portray her in a film that revolved around a "difficult time" in her life.

The 76-year-old actress played the monarch in 2006 drama film The Queen - which was about how the Queen handled Princess Diana's death.

Helen Mirren was overwhelmed by the role - she wrote to Queen Elizabeth II

At that time the royals were slammed for their response to Lady Di's 1997 car crash. Helen Mirren told Radio Times magazine: "I said, 'We are doing this film. We are investigating a very difficult time in your life. I hope it’s not too awful for you,' I can’t remember how I put it. I just said that in my research I found myself with a growing respect for her, and I just wanted to say that."

Helen Mirren wrote a letter to the Queen and received a reply

Helen Mirren, who won both an Oscar and a BAFTA for the film, received a response from Buckingham Palace, and while it wasn't from the Queen herself, she was "very relieved" that she had written the letter.

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"She didn’t write back, of course, but her secretary did. You know, ‘Yours sincerely, da di da di da,’ on behalf of the Queen. I was very relieved subsequently that I had written that letter," said Helen Mirren of her letter to the Queen.

Have you seen Helen Mirren portray Queen Elizabeth on screen?