It's been a week since news broke that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away at the age of 96 and the Royal Family and many people in the UK and across the globe are still coming to terms with the loss.

Among those mourning the death of the monarch are the cast of Netflix's The Crown, who have portrayed the life of the royals across four seasons. The hit series premiered on the streaming platform in November 2016 and has so far documented – albeit with somewhat of a fictional twist – the early beginnings of Her Majesty's reign, her romance with Prince Philip and the complicated relationship between the now-King Charles III and Princess Diana.

The impact of Her Majesty's death on The Crown's cast has been no secret, and it was last week announced that filming on the show's fifth season had been paused out of respect. 'The Crown is a love letter to her,' the show's creator, Peter Morgan announced. 'I’ve nothing to add for now, just silence and respect. I expect we will stop filming out of respect too.'

Now, Claire Foy, who played Queen Elizabeth II in seasons one and two of the show, has publicly paid her respects. Speaking to BBC at the Toronto Film Festival (via Metro), she said, 'I think that she was an incredible monarch. She united people and she was a massive symbol of continuity and dignity and grace.

'My main feeling is just thinking about her as a mother and a grandmother and a great-grandmother, really, and I’m very honoured to have been a teeny-tiny, small part of her story.'

Previously Olivia Colman – who played Her Majesty in seasons three and four – made a public tribute to the monarch. 'I wouldn’t know where to begin with that,' the actor told Variety magazine of the Queen's impact. 'She made a promise as a young woman and she absolutely kept it with such dignity.'

Colman went on: 'We’re all incredibly impressed by what she did.'

Later, Colman commented on King Charles III's first speech as the UK's new head of state. 'From a British point of view, he did it so beautifully,' she said. 'He did it about love, tolerance and gentleness, and that is what she always wanted and she’s done.'

Colman continued: 'From the outside world looking at Great Britain, at the moment, we’ve got some comedy going on at one side — politics — and something so dignified. I felt proud to be British. I think he’s going to do a good job.'

Looking to the future of The Crown, the 48-year-old said she's keen to see Harry Potter's Imelda Staunton take over as Queen Elizabeth II. 'She will be incredible,' Colman declared. 'I can’t wait to watch her.'

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