Helen Mirren Recalls Bizarre Royal Encounter With Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Royal Ascot in 2018: 'It Was Very Funny'

Helen Mirren recalled an awkward encounter with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during a royal tea at Royal Ascot in 2018, revealing that the late monarch unexpectedly acknowledged her Oscar-winning portrayal in the 2006 film The Queen.

Mirren shared that the Queen introduced her to a sheikh using a movie reference, but the joke fell flat. She was particularly surprised because the monarch had never publicly commented on her performance.

The MobLand star also revealed that she faced an unexpected etiquette dilemma when she wanted milk for her tea but could not remember the proper way to address the Duke of Edinburgh.

Mirren felt out of place at the gathering because she didn't know much about the royal topic being discussed.

"It was very funny because they were all talking about horses, and I know nothing about horses, I'm not a horsey person," she said.

"So I had really nothing to contribute to the conversation. She introduced me to the Sheikh of somewhere, as saying, 'This is Dame Helen Mirren, she played me, you know, in the film,'" Mirren continued.

Mirren thought it was hilarious when the confused Sheikh didn't recognize her or get the Queen's reference.

The actress faced another issue during the visit when she wasn't sure how to follow royal rules.

"I've got my tea, someone's poured me an extra cup of tea, but I like milk in my tea, and the milk jug is on the other side of Prince Philip. And I'm thinking, 'How do I get the milk?'" she shared.

"And I just could not remember how to — address Prince Philip? Do I call him sir, is it your majesty, your royal highness?" she recalled.

"I thought maybe I should ask for a serving person? In the end, I just gave up and had it without milk because I couldn't deal with the situation," she added.

Besides playing the Queen in a movie, Mirren honored the late monarch at the 2023 BAFTAs.

"BAFTA's relationship with Her Majesty was longstanding, and BAFTA would not be what it is today without her loyal support," Mirren said during the ceremony.

"In 1953, her coronation broadcast had the world watching. From that time, she was unquestionably the nation's leading lady but as mysterious as a silent film star," she said.

Prince William and Kate Middleton were among those watching the tribute and applauded as Mirren concluded her remarks.

During her BAFTA speech, Mirren also acknowledged Elizabeth's role in supporting the entertainment industry while she was on the throne.

"Throughout her 70-year reign, she met cinema's greatest icons and witnessed the evolution of Hollywood's golden age to the birth of the blockbuster. Her Majesty was front row for it all," she said.

The Queen supported more than 50 cultural organizations during her lifetime and received an honorary BAFTA in 2013 in recognition of her "outstanding patronage of the film and television industries."

Mirren concluded, "Cinema at its best does what Her Majesty did effortlessly - bring us together and unite us in a story."