Dame Helen Mirren insists she isn't ''remotely romantic'' with husband Taylor Hackford.

The 67-year-old actress - who has been married to the filmmaker since December 1997 - insists she and her partner often forget to buy each other birthday presents and she would be ''horrified'' if he got her a Valentine's Day card.

She said: ''Taylor and I aren't remotely romantic with each other. And actually we appreciate the lack of romance in the other person.

''I'd be completely horrified if Taylor gave me a Valentine's card. That's not our sort of relationship at all, we would pour cold water on that sort of thing.

''We even forget to get each other birthday presents. Without being corny, we try to be considerate to each other every day rather than lavishing each other with gifts.

''That's why the flowers are all the more special - he's not constantly giving me things.''

While Helen insists she and Taylor - who she met in 1984 when she starred in his movie 'White Nights' - are anything but romantic, she revealed the 'Devil's Advocate' director ''always'' sends her a bouquet of flowers on the opening nights of her plays to help her cope with the ''terrible'' stage fright she suffers from.

The 'Hitchcock' star - whose career has spanned nearly 50 years - explained: ''The one thing that Taylor does always do for me is to send me a bouquet of yellow roses on a first night for good luck.

''When they arrive, I know they're from him and I love that.

''I still suffer terribly from stage fright. I get sick with fear. Not every night, but at the beginning and on occasion, not ¬necessarily when I'm expecting it.

''You just have to cope with it, take it on the chin and work through it, trying to use the adrenalin.''

After being married for 15 years, Helen has come to the conclusion sex is not the main factor in a lasting relationship, but believes such intimacy is an ''important'' part of a commitment at the beginning.

She added to Woman and Home magazine: ''People get together for reasons other than sex and, although it's important in the beginning for most couples, it's not what makes marriages last. But I think the power of partnership in marriage is under-recognised in our society. That's what makes marriages work, not sex.''