Dame Helen Mirren heaps of praise for Meghan and Harry

Dame Helen Mirren, 74, claims Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the ‘absolutely right’ choice to step down as senior royals – but says ‘charming and gracious’ Duchess will be a loss to the public

  • Dame Helen Mirren said she ‘applauds’ the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
  • She called Meghan  ‘a fantastic addition to the royal family’ in a new interview
  • Actress, 74, won an Oscar for her 2006 big-screen role as The Queen 

Dame Helen Mirren has said she ‘applauds’ the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to stop carrying out official royal duties.

The London-born actress, 74, who won an Oscar for her 2006 big-screen role as the Queen, said Meghan was ‘a fantastic addition to the royal family’ and said that their choice to step down as senior royals would be a loss to the public. 

However, she told Variety: ‘I think their instincts are absolutely right, and I applaud them for it. Hugely actually. Of course, it is complicated.’

Dame Helen Mirren said she ‘applauds’ the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to stop carrying out official royal duties. She is pictured at the Berlin Film Festival, yesterday

‘Meghan Markle was a fantastic addition to the royal family – charming, did everything right, was gracious, was sweet-natured, and seemed to be … Wow! What a lovely addition. Didn’t seem to be neurotic…

‘So, I think it is a loss in a way, but at the same time I think their instincts are absolutely correct.

It comes as another A-lister, David Beckham told of how ‘he’s proud’ of his ‘amazing’ friend Prince Harry following his marriage to Meghan Markle and the birth of their nine-month-old son, Archie.

The former England footballer, 44, praised the Duke of Sussex, 35, for ‘growing up’ amid his decision to step back back as a senior royal and relocate to Canada. 

The Sussexes recently dropped plans to use the brand 'SussexRoyal' after conceding that the word 'royal' could not be used following their decision to leave the monarchy. They are pictured in Johannesburg in October

The Sussexes recently dropped plans to use the brand ‘SussexRoyal’ after conceding that the word ‘royal’ could not be used following their decision to leave the monarchy. They are pictured in Johannesburg in October

‘I haven’t spoken to Harry about him moving,’ the sporting legend said, speaking to ET Online. ‘We speak as friends and that’s the most important thing for me.’

‘I think he’s enjoying being a young father for the first time and that’s what we always spoke about.

The Sussexes recently dropped plans to use the brand ‘SussexRoyal’ after conceding that the word ‘royal’ could not be used following their decision to leave the monarchy.

Harry and Meghan had been in discussions with aides and senior royals about the use of the word.

Plans to trademark ‘SussexRoyal’ have also been abandoned.  

Harry and Meghan plan to split their time between the UK and Canada while pursuing financial independence from the Queen, as the date of ‘Megxit’ has been set as April 1.  

The Duke and Duchess of Sussexes resigned as senior royals in January in a move to become financially independent. They are currently living in a £10million mansion on Vancouver Island.  

Going forward they will be represented by their UK foundation, and Harry will retain the ranks of Major, Lieutenant Commander, and Squadron Leader – but his honorary military positions will not be used during a 12-month trial period. 

Pictured, Prince William and Prince Harry smile with David Beckham at an FA reception at the Saxon Hotel on June 19, 2010 in Johannesberg, South Africa.

The Sussexes are expected to be in Britain regularly over the next few months with Harry at an Invictus Games event on February 28.

Harry and Meghan will then attend the Endeavour Fund awards on March 5, and Harry will be at Silverstone with racing driver Lewis Hamilton on March 6.

They will then both be at the Mountbatten Festival of Music on March 7, and Meghan will mark International Women’s Day on March 8.

The couple will then join the Queen and the Royal Family for the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9.     

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