It’s been almost six months since Great Britain – and the rest of the world – had to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II. Many Britons still deeply admire their former monarch. This is also the case with Helen Mirren, who she embodied in the 2006 movie “The Queen”. In 2007, she even won an Oscar for her performance. So it couldn’t have been more fitting than Helen Mirren to honor the Queen at the Bafta Awards on Sunday night.
During her lifetime, Queen Elizabeth II was a big supporter of the Bafta Academy, the main film academy in England. “Bafta has a longstanding relationship with Her Majesty and Bafta would not be what it is today without her loyal support,” Mirren said on stage at the awards ceremony. Not only numerous film stars and colleagues listened to her, but also Prince William and Princess Kate, who represented the royal family in the evening.
“In 1953, the whole world watched the broadcast of her coronation. From then on, she was undoubtedly the nation’s leading woman, but as mysterious as a silent film star,” Mirren said. “Who else could get together with the most famous singers, actors and performers in the world and make them their supporting actors,” she said.
Mirren didn’t forget what the evening of the awards was all about – namely, recognizing the best performances and films of the year. And so she drew a comparison between the late Majesty and the film industry. “Cinema at its finest does what Her Majesty effortlessly did – it brings us together and unites us in one story. Your Majesty, you are our nation’s leading star. On behalf of the Bafta, I thank you for all that you have done for our film and television industry”, she concluded her speech.
Kate and William were touched by the Hollywood icon’s warm words. The winners of the evening were – in addition to the honorable Queen – Austin Butler, who won the award for best leading actor for “Elvis” and Cate Blanchett, who was awarded for her performance in “Tár”. Best film was the German production “Nothing New in the West”.
