The Crown's Claire Foy pays emotional tribute to 'incredible monarch' Queen Elizabeth II
The Crown star Claire Foy has paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, who passed away last Thursday, 8 September.
Claire, who played the Queen in the first and second season of the Netflix drama before handing the role over to Olivia Colman, described the Queen as an 'incredible monarch'.
Speaking to the BBC at the Toronto Film Festival, she said: "I think that she was an incredible monarch.
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"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, and I'm very honoured to have been a teeny-tiny, small part of her story."
Claire played a young Queen Elizabeth in the first two seasons of The Crown, alongside Matt Smith as the Duke of Edinburgh, John Lithgow as Winston Churchill and Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret.
During Claire's time on the show, The Crown portrayed the death of King George VI and the Queen's accession to the throne, as well as her marriage to Prince Philip.
Olivia Colman has also paid tribute to the Queen, after taking on the role in seasons three and four.
She shared her tribute with Variety and spoke highly of the Queen's successor, King Charles III.
"I wouldn’t know where to begin with that," she said when asked to share her thoughts about the Queen.
"She made a promise as a young woman and she absolutely kept it with such dignity. We’re all incredibly impressed by what she did."
When asked about her thoughts following the King's first televised public address, Colman went on: "From a British point of view, he did it so beautifully."
She added: “He did it about love, tolerance and gentleness, and that is what she always wanted and she’s done.”
On Monday, 19 September, the King will say his final goodbyes to his mother as she is laid to rest. The Queen's funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey at 11.00am and Her Majesty will be laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle. Prince Philip will be moved from the Royal Vault so he can be laid to rest with his wife.
A royal expert has predicted the Queen will be laid to rest wearing only two pieces of jewellery.
You can read more on that story here.
Lucy Devine