Olivia Colman came face to face with real life royalty when she received her CBE at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. The Oscar-winner, 45, plays the Queen in Netflix drama, The Crown, but unfortunately missed out on the opportunity to meet the monarch herself at the ceremony.
Olivia was made a CBE for her services to drama under her real name Sarah Sinclair and was given her award by the Queen's daughter, Princess Anne. The actress, wearing a grey checked dress and a black hat, beamed as she chatted with the Princess Royal and palace staff during the investiture.
READ: The Crown first full-length trailer teases Prince Charles and Camilla romance
Olivia Colman received her honour from Princess Anne
The Broadchurch star replaces Claire Foy as Her Majesty in The Crown season three, which sees the royal drama move into the 1960s and 70s. The role of the Duke of Edinburgh has been taken up by Tobias Menzies, in place of Matt Smith, while Helena Bonham Carter portrays Princess Margaret.
MORE: First look at Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher on The Crown is here
Olivia Colman as the Queen with her corgis in The Crown
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Olivia confessed that her husband Ed Sinclair once stole some loo roll from Buckingham Palace and that she'd spoken to the Duke of Cambridge about The Crown during a charity event. "He said, 'I know what you're doing here.' I asked, 'Do you watch it?' He said, 'No, I don't,'" she shared, before adding how the "charming" Prince had the ability to "make you feel you're the most exciting person in the room."
WATCH: The trailer for The Crown season 3
Netflix confirmed that The Crown will return for season three on Sunday 17 November. In a recently-released trailer for the show, it shows Olivia as the Queen preparing for her silver jubilee and considering the impact she has had during her reign, saying in voiceover: "On days like today, ask yourself in the time I've been on the throne what have I actually achieved?"
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