The queen on screen: The most memorable portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II

From Helen Mirren to Claire Foy to Jeanette Charles, here's a look at actors who depicted the queen across films and shows

Aux Features Elizabeth II
The queen on screen: The most memorable portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II
Graphic: The Queen (courtesy of Pathé), The Crown (courtesy of Netflix), and Spencer (screenshot via Neon)

Queen Elizabeth II, who died today at the age of 96, was Britain’s longest-ruling monarch, a World War II vehicle mechanic, and a huge fan of neon suits. She was also a leader of staggering depth whose life is impossible to sum up in a single obituary, much less in a single film or TV portrayal. Still, many actors have taken up the challenge, and each has captured unique aspects of her life and her personality. Because Queen Elizabeth ruled for so long, these performances span decades and cover many different periods of her life, from Freya Wilson as a young Princess Elizabeth in The King’s Speech to Dame Helen Mirren in The Queen. Here are some of the most memorable on-screen portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II.

previous arrowHelen Mirren (The Queen) next arrow
The Queen | Official Trailer (HD) - Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen | MIRAMAX

At surface level, you might think Dame Helen Mirren is a glass-slipper fit for playing Queen Lizzy: both posh, excessively British, and, with some impeccable makeup and costuming, sharing a passing resemblance. But the thing about Mirren is she exudes qualities the monarch emphatically did not: wickedness, frankness, an absolutely devastating sex appeal. Perhaps that’s why audiences, not to mention Academy Award voters, were so enchanted by Mirren’s transformation in Stephen Frears and Peter Morgan’s 2006 film, where her performance delivered a nuanced restraint like we’d never seen from her before. Fun fact: the actor was too busy filming her next project to accept the approving queen’s . [Jack Smart]

27 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share Tweet Submit Pin