Dame Helen Mirren to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Baftas
Dame Helen Mirren will pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at the Baftas ceremony this year.
The 77-year-old claimed a best actress Bafta for playing the late monarch in the 2006 film The Queen and is now set to deliver a special oration at this year’s awards ceremony on Sunday evening.
Dame Helen will deliver the tribute to the late Queen in front of members of the Royal family who are set to be in attendance at Baftas, including the Prince and Princess of Wales.
A Bafta spokesman said: “The Queen occupies a unique place in Bafta’s history, a close association that spanned 50 years.
“Through her various patronages, the Queen was renowned for her support of the UK’s creative industries.”
The Prince of Wales, who is set to be in the audience for the tribute, has been president of Bafta since 2010.
He will be joined at the ceremony by a host of stars, including confirmed presenters Sir Patrick Stewart, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Lily James.
Richard E Grant will host the ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
The dozens of nominees set to attend the awards will include Bill Nighy, who is also in contention for an Oscar this year, alongside Colin Farrell, Paul Mescal, Carey Mulligan, and Cate Blanchett.
Jane Millichip, chief executive of Bafta, said it was likely to be one of the “most well-attended on record”, adding that this is a “ringing endorsement of the importance of British audiences to the global film industry, and Bafta’s role in bringing these incredible films and filmmakers to public attention”.
