The death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has sent shockwaves around the world as many come to terms with her passing.
In a statement, the royal family announced that “the queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon” at the age of 96.
Throughout her long reign, the late queen became quite the cultural figure with her likeness being portrayed in films and TV series. If she wasn’t the main focus of the film or drama series, fictional versions of Her Majesty have made cameo appearances.
Actress Jeannette Charles in 2002 had a cameo as Her Majesty in the third and final “Austin Powers Goldmember“ film, Charles also portrayed the queen in the 1976 film, “Queen Kong”.
One of the most notable portrayals of the monarch was by actress Helen Mirren, who played Her Majesty in the 2006 film “The Queen”, which earned her an Oscar.
In an Instagram post, Mirren paid tribute to the monarch and said: “I am proud to be an Elizabethan. We mourn a woman, who, with or without the crown, was the epitome of nobility.”
Netflix’s hit series “The Crown” has also had a few actresses get into character and portray the late queen in various stages of her life. Season five of the series had enlisted actress Imelda Staunton to be the queen in the upcoming season, which was meant to debut on the streaming platform in November this year.
According to reports, filming is expected to be paused on “The Crown” as a mark of respect for the late monarch.
In honour of the life of Britain's longest-reigning sovereign, here is a list of actresses who have worn the crown for showbiz.
Actress who have portrayed the Queen
Helen Mirren - "The Queen"
Claire Foy - "The Crown" S1 and 2
Olivia Colman - The Crown S3 and 4
Imelda Staunton -"The Crown" S5 and 6
Maggie Sullivan - Lifetime's "Harry & Meghan" franchise
Neve Campbell - "Churchill: The Hollywood Years"
Jane Alexander - "William & Catherine: A Royal Romance"