Helen Mirren Remembers Queen Elizabeth II: 'The Epitome Of Nobility'

Dame Helen Mirren is paying her respects to Queen Elizabeth II after she passed away on Thursday, September 8, at age 96.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," read a statement released by The Royal Family at 1:30 PM ET. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Mirren, 77, won an Oscar for portraying the queen in the 2006 film "The Queen" and portrayed her again in the 2015 Broadway play "The Audience." The Majesty herself appointed Mirren a dame in 2003.

Helen Mirren posted a black-and-white photograph of Queen Elizabeth II to her Instagram page along with a brief message to mourn her loss.

"I am proud to be an Elizabethan," she wrote in the caption of the snap. "We mourn a woman, who, with or without the crown, was the epitome of nobility."

The 2006 movie "The Queen" told the story of Princess Diana's sudden, tragic death and the Queen's reaction. The script was written by Peter Morgan, who would later go on to create the Netflix hit series, "The Crown."

The movie also starred James Cromwell as Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's husband, who passed away last year at the age of 99. Michael Sheen played the former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Alex Jennings played the role of Prince Charles, who has now become King.

Helen Mirren won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the film. During her Academy Award acceptance speech, which can be seen in the video above, Mirren had nothing but praise for her Majesty.

"Now, you know, for 50 years and more, Elizabeth Windsor has maintained her dignity, her sense of duty, and her hairstyle," Mirren said. "She's had her feet planted firmly on the ground, her hat on her head, her handbag on her arm and she's weathered many, many storms."

"I salute her courage and her consistency," she continued. "And I thank her, because if it wasn't for her I most, most certainly would not be here."

As reported by PEOPLE, Mirren took part in a movie event in 2019 called "Helen Mirren and Hawk Koch Discuss the Magic of Movies." During the event, Mirren discussed the "lesson in embarrassment" she received when she had tea with the Queen herself years before she passed.

"She invited me for tea," Mirren explained at the time. "I thought it was going to be in a room with 200 other people, which it often is. I've met her once before and it was in a room with 200 other people. So I said, 'Oh, well, I can manage that.' So it was at the horsey place and the message came to me that the Queen would like to invite you to tea, she knows you're here."

"So I walk in, and there's like eight people sitting around a table. Prince Philip, the Queen, a Sheik of somewhere or other, and a couple of horsey people," Mirren continued. "I know absolutely nothing about horses, at all, and the Queen knows everything about horses."

Mirren revealed that she was "desperately trying to make polite conversation and it's just coming out like gobbledygook." However, she added that "they were lovely, they were utterly gracious."

Shortly after Queen Elizabeth passed away, His Majesty The King, King Charles, released a statement to address the passing of his mother, who was beloved by so many.

“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.”

“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”