Claire Foy feels "very honoured" to have played Queen Elizabeth in 'The Crown'.

Claire Foy felt honoured to play Queen Elizabeth

Claire Foy felt honoured to play Queen Elizabeth

The 38-year-old actress has praised the late monarch - who died on 8 September aged 96 - as an "incredible" ruler while also remembering her place within her family, and admitted she will always be grateful to have depicted the early years of the queen's reign in the first two seasons of Netflix's regal drama.

She told the BBC: “I think that she was an incredible monarch. She united people and she was a massive symbol of continuity and dignity and grace.

“My main feeling is just thinking about her as a mother and a grandmother and a great-grandmother, really, and I’m very honoured to have been a teeny tiny, small part of her story.”

Claire's comments came a few days after Olivia Colman, who took over as the queen in 'The Crown' for the third and fourth seasons, also paid tribute to the late monarch.

She said: “I wouldn’t know where to begin with that. She made a promise as a young woman and she absolutely kept it with such dignity. We’re all incredibly impressed by what she did.”

The 'Empire of Light' actress also praised King Charles' first address to the nation, in which he paid a touching tribute to his beloved "mama" and vowed to serve with "loyalty, respect and love".

She said: “From a British point of view, he did it so beautifully. He did it about love, tolerance and gentleness, and that is what she always wanted and she’s done.

“From the outside world looking at Great Britain, at the moment, we’ve got some comedy going on at one side — politics — and something so dignified. I felt proud to be British. I think he’s going to do a good job.”