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The Crown star Claire Foy breaks silence over the Queen’s death with beautiful tribute

The actress spoke about her feelings about portraying the monarch

Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
September 14, 2022
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Claire Foy is perhaps best known for her celebrated role as the Queen inThe Crown, and has spoken out with a beautiful tribute to Her Majesty, and how she had a “teeny-tiny, small part of her story”. Speaking to the BBC at the Toronto Film Festival, 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.

MORE: The Crown: everything to know about season five - release, plot, cast and more

“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.”

WATCH: Are you caught up with season four?

Claire played the monarch in the Netflix show for the first two seasons before older versions of Her Majesty were portrayed by Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton. During her time on the show, she portrayed the Queen during the meetings with her first Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, her coronation, the death of her grandmother and the birth of her children.

liz crown claire foy

Claire shared her thoughts at the Toronto Film Festival

The Crown has hugely picked up in popularity since the Queen’s death on Thursday, with nearly 17.6 million hours viewed globally in the days following her passing. Netflix released a statement which read: “HRH Queen Elizabeth II was in the hearts and minds of viewers. Fans revisited season one of The Crown, which entered the list for the first time in the seventh spot with 17.57 million hours viewed.”

MORE: Everything the royal family have said about The Crown

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Filming on the latest series of The Crown was halted following the death of the Queen last Thursday and filming will also be suspended on Monday for the Queen’s funeral.

queen elizabeth ii

Claire portrayed Her Majesty's early reign

The new series is set to premiere in November 2022, but the show paused filming season six out of respect for the Queen. Following her passing, the show’s creator Peter Morgan said: "The Crown is a love letter to her and I’ve nothing to add, for now, just silence and respect. I expect we will stop filming out of respect too."

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