Helen Mirren pays heartfelt tribute to late Queen at BAFTAs 2023; calls her 'nation's leading star'

The 2023 BAFTA Awards show was held at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England on Sunday, 19 February 2023, playing host to some of the biggest names in Hollywood and beyond. The star-studded event saw many popular celebrities walking down the red carpet before heading towards the show, including Prince William and Kate Middleton, who marked their first appearance at the show as Prince and Princess of Wales. While the award night was all about celebrating cinema, a moment that got everyone emotional was Dame Helen Mirren’s heartfelt tribute to UK’s longest-reigning monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Mirren who famously essayed the role of Queen Elizabeth in Peter Morgan’s 2006 film The Queen, remembered the Queen’s legacy and also spoke about her long-standing association with the BAFTA and her admiration and support towards arts. “BAFTA’s relationship with Her Majesty was long-standing and BAFTA would not be what it is today without her loyal support”, Mirren said recalling the Queen’s coronation broadcast as she added that Queen Elizabeth II was “unquestionably the nation’s leading lady but as mysterious as a silent film star.” “Throughout her 70-year reign, she met cinema’s greatest icons and witnessed the evolution of Hollywood’s golden age to the birth of the blockbuster. Her Majesty was front row for it all,” she added. Mirren also went on to share that the Queen supported over 50 cultural organisations in support of arts in the country. Calling the Queen the country’s “leading star”, Mirren also thanked her for her endless contribution to the film and television industry in the UK. She further concluded her speech with a touchy line and said, “Cinema at its best does what Her Majesty did effortlessly: brings us together and unites us in a story.” Watch her full tribute:

Dame Helen Mirren pays tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the #EEBAFTAs. #BritBox pic.twitter.com/9ECnpaOYxY

— BritBox US (@BritBox_US) February 19, 2023

While the actress’ speech left the audience overwhelmed, Prince William and Kate Middleton were also seen getting emotional as they attended the event as the guest of honour. Notably, the royal family is known to have close associations with the BAFTA. The Queen who passed away last year also had a dedicated relationship with the Academy for over five decades. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.