HELEN MIRREN - MIRREN 'FELL IN LOVE' WITH THE QUEEN

MIRREN 'FELL IN LOVE' WITH THE QUEEN

DAME HELEN MIRREN has "fallen in love" with British royal QUEEN ELIZABETH II after playing her in upcoming movie THE QUEEN, despite having been brought up as an anti-monarchist. The 61-year-old star admits her family never had any time for the royal family, but after rigorous research into the monarch's life - particularly around the time of the tragic death of DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES, in 1997 - she realises how strong and gracious the Queen has been. She says, "I think of all the things the Queen has gone through, the psychological traumas of the war years, ten prime ministers, the same hair even, but she's had the same values, the value of duty first, self last and that constancy is extraordinary. "That's why she was so thrown after Diana died, and of course those values she stands for are ones we cherish now. My mother was anti-monarchist, but she wasn't anti-humanist. "But I think having played an essence of the Queen, I've lost that chip on my shoulder. I must say I slowly fell in love with her."