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Entertainment

46 Photos of Helen Mirren Over the Years That Prove She’s a Queen in Real Life

By Ashley Lall

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The iconic Dame Helen Mirren has captured the hearts of many on screen and on stage. From a young age, it was clear that Mirren was born to stand out. While her shinning acting career and stunning good looks have made her a global star, there are plenty of other reasons why we love the woman she’s become. 

She was born Illiana Lydia Petrovna Mironova (before her father anglicized her name) in England to a Scottish-born mother and Russian-born father in 1945. She took up acting in school plays when she was young, and entered the official scene at 18, joining Britain’s National Youth Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company a year later. In her early 20s, she began trying her hand at film, her first, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1968.

Since then, Mirren has had a knack for regal roles, starring in classic films including The Madness of King George and The Queen, both of which won her Oscar nominations. And on top of all her glowing success as an actress, Mirren has admirably used her place on the worldstage to draw attention to global issues for the betterment of humanity. 

With that in mind, we thought we’d take a look back at her life and celebrate all she’s accomplished in her 73 years. 

Scroll through the gallery below for some of Mirren’s most memorable moments throughout her career and beyond. 

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  1. Helen Mirren A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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    Helen (right) on the set of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at age 19 alongside her castmate Mary Payne.

  3. 1965 Cleopatra

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    Here she is portraying Cleopatra on the set of Cleopatra and Antony in 1965.

  5. Painting 1965

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    Helen was only 20 when Nicholas Egon, a Hampstead artist, spotted her and wanted to paint her.

  6. Egon 1965

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    Here they are at their first meeting. Clearly, Egon was smitten by her. Can you blame him?

  7. Troilus 1968

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    Helen played Cressida in the epic portrayal of Troilus and Cressida at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1968. Wasn't she so young and innocent-looking?

  9. Helen 24 1969

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    Here she is at 24 in 1969 in London. Look at those big doe eyes!

  10. Getty Images 1014227684

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    At the ripe age of 24, Helen was already enjoying a fruitful acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. 

  11. Getty Images 525912349

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    In 1969, she went on to star in her first major film, Age of Consent, alongside James Mason.

  13. Getty Images 3139265 (1)

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    By the 1970s, Mirren was staring in a number of films and making her way onto the TV screen in shows like ITV Sunday Night Theatre, and Cousin Bette, which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy. From an early age, she established herself as a sexual icon.

  14. Cannes Film Festival 1973

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    As her career took off, she spent time with a-list actors and musicians. Here she is pictured at the Cannes Film Festival in France in 1973 with Alan Price, an English musician, at the piano.

  15. Fishnets 1975

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    She was certainly never camera shy. Check out those legs!

  17. Home 1975

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    Here she is pictured in her Fulham home in 1975.

  18. Grafitti 1976

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    By this time, Helen had established herself as somewhat of a rebel. 

  19. Windsor Chair 1977

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    She certainly was not one to follow conventions, especially when it came to beauty and gender norms. How cute is she here, pictured in her Windsor chair and favorite cap?

  21. Getty Images 73105076

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    In 1978, Mirren starred as Cassandra in the TV mini series of the play Agamemnon, part one of Aeschylus' Oresteia.

  22. Helen Mirren 2010

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    In 1985, she got to meet the Prince of Wales at the Royal Movie Premier of 2010 in London.

  23. Helen Mirren Marriage

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    Also in 1985, she starred in White Nights. Taylor Hackford was directing the film and it’s rumored that he kept Mirren waiting during her audition — which didn’t bode well with her.

  25. Helen Mirren Gregory Hines

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    Mirren starred in the film alongside another other noteworthy actor, Gregory Hines, whom she formed a lasting friendship with.

  26. Harrison 1986

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    In 1986, she starred alongside Harrison Ford in The Mosquito Coast.

  27. Duchess Of Malfi 1988

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    Helen has been known for her acting in several regal roles. Here she is in 1980 in costume for her performance in John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi at the Royal Exchange Theater in Manchester, England, September 1980. 

  29. Ben Kingsley 1988

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    And in 1988, she starred alongside actor Ben Kingsley in the Italian film Pascali’s Island.

  30. The Cook The Thief 1989 1

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    In 1989, Mirren starred in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, a crime drama film written and directed by actor Peter Greenaway, starring Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, and Alan Howard.

  31. The Cook The Thief 2

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    The film was noted at the time for its graphic violence and nudity, as well as it's unconventional cinematography. Wowza! 

  33. 1992 Portrait

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    And she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Helen, at 47, posed for a sultry portrait session in Los Angeles in 1992.

  34. Getty Images 103359587

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    Despite a rocky start, Helen and Taylor Hackford started dating after their meeting on White Nights, and eventually tied the knot in 1997. They are still married today. How sweet!

  35. Getty Images 828058178

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    In the 90’s, she won a BAFTA award for her role as Jane Tennison in the TV mini-series Prime Suspects. 

  37. 1994 Drama Desk

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    And Helen's sultry style continued on. Here she is pictured with Matthew Broderick at the 1994 Drama Desk Awards. 

  38. Getty Images 105916329

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    In 1996, she won her first Emmy for her role in Prime Suspects. 

  39. Helen Mirren Golden Globe

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    Thereafter, Mirren went on to win and be nominated for many awards. Also in 1996, she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film for her role in Losing Chase — Kevin Bacon’s directorial debut. This was her first of 15 Golden Globe nominations to date.

  40. 1997 Emmy

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    In 1997, she wowed fans at the 49th annual Emmy Awards in a stunning golden gown. 

  41. 1997 Shoot

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    It’s clear that the actress had no intention of ever “toning it down.” She was born for the spotlight, and she's always embraced it! 

  42. Helen Mirren Cleopatra

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    Back on stage in 1998, she starred alongside Alan Rickman as Cleopatra in Anthony and Cleopatra. 

  43. Truman Show 1998

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    Here she is pictured at the 1998 premiere of The Truman Show, donning her signature, winning smile, and the most on-trend pixie cut!

  44. Ayn Rand 1999

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    In 1999, she was still taking home awards. That year, she won the Emmy for best actress in a mini series for her role in The Passion of Ayn Rand.

  45. Helen Mirren Queen Elizabeth

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    Later in 2003, Mirren was initiated as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. What an honor!

  46. Helen Mirren Amnesty International

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    And while her career was prospering, she also became more and more active in her community. Mirren has participated in protests and has used her celebrity status to call attention to many issues over the years. In 1997, she stood with Amnesty International against the illegal use and sale of electric shock batons in Britain.

  47. Helen Mirren Africa

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    In 2004, she travelled to Africa to call attention to the devastating genocide happening there. 

  48. Helen Mirren Activism

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    Though an outbreak of violence caused the sponsor of the trip to cancel, Mirren refused to back down. Instead of travelling to Sudan's Darfur region, she took a reroute to northern Uganda where she advocated against genocide.

  49. Helen Mirren St. Andrews

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    Mirren has also received several honorary degrees throughout her career. In 1999, she was made a Doctor of Letters by the University of St. Andrews.

  50. Helen Mirren Honorary Degrees

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    She was awarded two more in 2017 from the University of Southern California and Tulane University in Louisiana. 

  51. Helen Mirren Charity

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    Mirren has been an active participant in several university programs, too. In 2006, she became the first Honorary Patron of the Institute for Capitalizing on Creativity at the University of St. Andrews, a program which was established to help boost the creative industries in Scotland through specific management training initiatives. 

  52. Helen Mirren The Queen

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    In 2007, Helen took home several awards including the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. Interestingly, Mirren also played Queen Elizabeth I in the TV miniseries, Elizabeth I.

  53. June 2019

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    Back in June of this year, she performed at Karl For Ever, a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, who was creative director of Fendi from 1965 and Chanel from 1983 until he passed away back in February.

  54. 2019 Fast And Furios

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    No matter how much time has gone by, Mirren remains a fashion and beauty icon. Check her out in this stunning green dress at the Fast and Furious premier this July!

  55. Helen Mirren HFPA

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    Today, she remains true to her roots in fighting for a cause. This year at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) charity event to benefit the humanitarian organization Help Refugees, she took the stage to deliver a heartfelt message. “Here you are, you’ve got free food, you’ve got free drink, you’re safe, you’re warm, the rain is not raining on your heads," she said. "All I ask you is to give a moment’s thought to the people who don’t have that. Just a moment of not speaking. Think about people who are so much worse off than you are and feel very, very, very grateful that you are where you are.” 

  56. Helen Mirren

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    Throughout her career, Helen has captured our hearts with her striking beauty, fearless sense of style (she showed up to Cannes with pink hair this year!), magnificent talent, fierce energy, and compassion for others. And at 73 years old, we think she’s more captivating than ever. 
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