The Queen (2006)

Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) has always lived a life marked by decorum and discretion. It was how she was raised. She is not prone to changes. This is why she is annoyed at what she perceives as inappropriate behavior by her ex-daughter-in-law, Princess Diana. She is also not happy to welcome the newly elected Prime Minister, Tony Blair (Michael Sheen). He represents a political party that is in opposition to the things the monarchy has also held dear. He's also too informal for her taste. His wife, Cherie (Helen McClory), is not a fan of the monarchy, and can barely curtesy when she's in the Queen's presence.

Tragedy invades Her Majesty's world when Princess Diana is killed in an auto accident in France. The Queen wants everything handled quietly. She feels no big efforts should be made as Diana was divorced from Prince Charles (Alex Jennings); she was not a part of the Royal Family at the time of her death. It is no secret that her and her husband, Prince Phillip (James Cromwell) were not fond of Diana. After a speech where Blair describes Diana as "the people's Princess", public grief over her death swells in England. Blair and Her Majesty engage in a tug-of-war regarding her lack of response to the public regarding Diana's death.

Ms. Mirren does a fine job portraying a woman whose life is tightly controled by tradition in opposition to a world that is not impressed by pomp and circumstance as it used to be. Prince Phillip has been reported as being a difficult sort, and Mr. Cromwell captures the old man's pricky personality. The movie mixes in actual news reports and footage of Princess Diana.

Ms. Mirren is known to TV audiences from the TV series "Prime Suspect", but she had done much stellar work in films. James Cromwell was the farmer in the movie Babe (1995).