# The Queen (2006 film)

The Queen is a 2006 docudrama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Peter Morgan. The film depicts the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. The royal family regards Diana's death as a private affair and thus not to be treated as an official royal death, in contrast with the views of Prime Minister Tony Blair and Diana's ex-husband, Prince Charles, who favour the general public's desire for an official expression of grief. Matters are further complicated by the media, royal protocol regarding Diana's official status, and wider issues about republicanism.
The film's development coincided with a revival of favourable public sentiment in respect to the British monarchy, a downturn in fortunes for Blair, and the inquest into Diana's death, Operation Paget. Michael Sheen reprised his role as Blair from The Deal and he did so again in The Special Relationship.
The Queen garnered widespread critical and popular acclaim for Helen Mirren playing the title role of Queen Elizabeth II. Mirren was praised by the Queen herself and was invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace. However, Mirren declined to attend due to filming commitments in Hollywood.

## Plot

The 1997 general election has Tony Blair and the Labour Party elected on a manifesto of reform and modernisation. Less than four months later, Diana, Princess of Wales is killed in a car crash at the Alma Bridge tunnel in Paris.
Immediately, her death presents problems for her former husband, Prince Charles, and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, what to accord the mother of a future king who is no longer a member of the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II wonders if Blair will turn his modernisation pledge on to the royal family since he attempts to have her reconsider her views on the funeral plans. Diana's family, the Spencers, calls for the funeral to be private.
Following a speech in which Blair describes Diana as the "People's Princess" and the adoption of the title by the press, an outpouring of grief by the general public begins in broadcasts and displays of floral tributes so numerous at Buckingham and Kensington Palaces that the main entrances onto the complexes have to be rerouted. The royal family's senior members make no effort to acknowledge Diana's significance to society as the Queen feels that she must comfort and shield her grandsons following the death of their mother, and so remains on holiday at Balmoral. The royal family's popularity plummets, while Blair's approval rises as he responds to the public outcry of the royal family's inaction.
Blair's attempts to guide the royal family through the controversy are met with resistance: the Queen describes them as a surrender to public hysteria. Despite the Queen and Prince Philip's indignation toward any sympathy toward Diana or acknowledgment of the country's mourning, Blair is encouraged by the private secretaries of both the Prince of Wales and the Queen to continue with his attempts to change the attitude of the royal family. As Britain continues its outpouring of grief, Blair attempts to defend the royal family publicly, but his attempts are futile. Blair's compassion earns him overwhelming praise and adoration, while the royal family's seeming indifference earns them fiery condemnation from the people.
As Britain's outrage hits a critical mass, Blair cannot continue to finesse the Queen's refusal to acknowledge Diana and the public. He reveals to her that 70% of the country believes her actions are damaging to the monarchy, and "1 in 4" people are in favour of abolishing the monarchy altogether. Blair adamantly insists that the royal family fly the flag at Buckingham Palace at half-mast, that the Queen pay her respects to Diana and give a public address consoling the country.
Although she is demoralised by the country's reaction and the Prime Minister's suggestions, the Queen comes to realise that the world has changed during her reign. She and Prince Philip return to London despite their disagreement. The Queen finally pays public tribute on live television to Diana's significance to the nation and society and can somewhat quell Britain's agony. The royal family attends the public funeral for Diana at Westminster Abbey.
At Blair's next meeting with the Queen, they exchange views about what has happened since their last meeting, including the controversy surrounding Diana's death and the actions that followed. Then she cautions the prime minister that, just as public opinion has changed about how the royal family should react to a new Britain, so must he as he may very well find himself in the same position of changing public opinion.

## Cast

* Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II
* Michael Sheen as Tony Blair
* James Cromwell as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
* Helen McCrory as Cherie Blair
* Alex Jennings as Charles, Prince of Wales
* Roger Allam as Robin Janvrin
* Sylvia Syms as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
* Tim McMullan as Stephen Lamport
* Mark Bazeley as Alastair Campbell
* Michel Gay as Dodi Fayed
* Douglas Reith as Lord Airlie
* Kananu Kirimi as Blair's PA
* Julian Firth as Blair's Aide
* Earl Cameron as Portrait Artist
* Elliot Levey as TV Director
The film uses archival footage of Diana, Princess of Wales, Camilla Parker Bowles, Nicholas Owen, Julia Somerville, Martyn Lewis, Trevor McDonald and John Suchet.

## Production
### Filming

The screenplay was written by Peter Morgan. It was produced by Pathé Pictures and Granada Productions (ITV Productions). Stephen Frears had a clause in his contract from The Deal that allowed him to direct any follow-ups or sequels, and he was officially announced as director in September 2003. The film was shot on location in the United Kingdom, in England in London, Halton House and Waddesdon Manor, in Buckinghamshire, Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire and in Scotland at Balmoral Castle, Castle Fraser and Cluny Castle in Aberdeenshire, and Blairquhan Castle and Culzean Castle in South Ayrshire.

### Set design

The sets were designed by Alan MacDonald, which won him Best Art Direction in a Contemporary Film from the Art Directors Guild and Best Technical Achievement at the British Independent Film Awards.

### Portraying the Queen

Mirren says transforming herself into the Queen came almost naturally after the wig and glasses, since she shares a default facial expression—a slightly downturned mouth—with the monarch. She regularly reviewed film and video footage of Elizabeth and kept photographs in her trailer during production. She also undertook extensive voice coaching, faithfully reproducing the Queen's delivery of her televised speech to the world. Morgan has said that her performance was so convincing that, by the end of production, crew members who had been accustomed to slouching or relaxing when they addressed her were standing straight up and respectfully folding their hands behind their backs. Mirren arranged to spend time off-camera with the supporting cast playing other members of the Royal Family, including James Cromwell, Alex Jennings and Sylvia Syms so they would be as comfortable with each other as a real family.
To enhance the contrast of their different worlds, shots involving the Queen were taken in 35mm film and those of Tony Blair in 16mm film.

### Television viewership and home media

ITV's role in the production of the film allowed them an option for its television premiere and it was broadcast on 2 September 2007 (coinciding that weekend with a memorial service to Diana) to an average audience of 7.9 million, winning its timeslot. The DVD was released in the UK on 12 March 2007. Special features include a making-of featurette and an audio commentary by Stephen Frears, writer Peter Morgan and Robert Lacey, biographer of Queen Elizabeth II. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the USA on 24 April 2007 and, as of 2013, US DVD sales had exceeded $29 million.

### Historical accuracy

Some aspects of the characters are known to be true to their real-life counterparts. According to Morgan, "cabbage" is an actual term of endearment Philip used for his wife (mon chou – "my cabbage" – is a standard affectionate nickname in French).
Other elements represent characteristics associated with people depicted. The electric guitar seen behind Blair in his personal office is a reference to his past membership in the band Ugly Rumours while a student. The Newcastle United football jersey he wears to a family breakfast is a reference to his support of that team. The film also shows Alastair Campbell coining the term "The People's Princess", but in 2007 he revealed that it was Tony Blair who came up with it.
A notable inaccuracy is that Robin Janvrin is represented as the Queen's private secretary during the aftermath of Diana's death. In fact, that position was then occupied by Janvrin's predecessor, Sir Robert Fellowes; Janvrin was the deputy private secretary until 1999. However, the film is accurate in depicting Janvrin as the person who delivered the news of Diana's accident to the Queen at Balmoral during the night. The change may have been made to avoid confusing the audience by depicting the complicated family relationships involved— Fellowes was, in fact, also Diana's brother-in-law (by his marriage to her sister, Lady Jane Spencer) and is a first cousin of Sarah, Duchess of York.

## Reception
### Box office

The film exceeded box-office expectations; with a budget of $15 million the film earned $56.4 million in the United States and Canada.

### Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96%, based on 203 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Full of wit, humour and pathos, Stephen Frears' moving portrait looks at life of the British royals during the period after Princess Diana's death." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 91 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Before the film was released, critics praised both Stephen Frears and Peter Morgan, who later received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Michael Sheen's performance as Tony Blair earned him particular acclaim. Helen Mirren's portrayal, which garnered her acclaim from critics around the world, made her a favourite for the Academy Award for Best Actress well before the film was released in cinemas. After its showing at the Venice Film Festival, Mirren received a five-minute-long standing ovation. Roger Ebert came out of recovery from surgery to give the film a review, in which he called it "spellbinding" and gave it four out of four stars.
Amongst the few negative reviews, Slant Magazine's Nick Schager criticised the insider portraiture of the film as "somewhat less than revelatory, in part because Morgan's script succumbs to cutie-pie jokiness [...] and broad caricature", mentioning particularly "James Cromwell's Prince Philip, who envisions the crowned heads as exiled victims and the gathering crowds as encroaching 'Zulus'".

## Accolades

Mirren won Best Actress at the Academy Awards, British Academy Film Awards, Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Mirren also won awards from the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review, the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association, and many other awards of which are listed below except she was nominated for at least three more. In most of her acceptance speeches, she expressed her admiration for the real Queen, and dedicated both her Golden Globe and her Oscar to Elizabeth II.
As of 2022, Mirren from The Queen and Forest Whitaker from The Last King of Scotland are the only two lead performances for portraying real-life leaders, and they are the only lead performers to ever sweep the rarest achievements known as "The Big Four" critics awards (LAFCA, NBR, NYFCC, NSFC) as well as win the Oscar, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG awards in the same year.
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Movie for Grownups | Best Movie for Grownups | Nominated | |
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Andy Harries, Christine Langan, and Tracey Seaward | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Academy Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | Best Costume Design | Consolata Boyle | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | Best Original Score | Alexandre Desplat | Nominated | |
| African-American Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards | Best Picture | Stephen Frears | Won | |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards | Best Drama by or About Women | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards | Best Actress in a Dramatic Performance | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic | Lucia Zucchetti | Nominated | |
| Art Directors Guild Awards | Excellence in Production Design for a Contemporary Film | Alan MacDonald, Peter Wenham, Ben Smith, Katie Buckley, Tim Monroe, and Franck Schwartz | Nominated | |
| Austin Film Critics Association Awards | Top Ten Films | Top Ten Films | 7th Place | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| BMI Film & TV Awards | Film Music Award | Alexandre Desplat | Won | |
| Bodil Awards | Best Non-American Film | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Runner-up | |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Runner-up | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Film | Andy Harries, Christine Langan, and Tracey Seaward | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Outstanding British Film | Andy Harries, Christine Langan, Tracey Seaward, Stephen Frears, and Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Direction | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Michael Sheen | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Costume Design | Consolata Boyle | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Editing | Lucia Zucchetti | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Makeup and Hair | Daniel Phillips | Nominated | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Original Music | Alexandre Desplat | Nominated | |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best British Independent Film | Best British Independent Film | Nominated | |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Nominated | |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Technical Achievement | Alan MacDonald (for production design) | Nominated | |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Technical Achievement | Daniel Phillips (for makeup) | Nominated | |
| Camerimage | Golden Frog (Main Competition) | Affonso Beato | Nominated | |
| Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| César Awards | Best Foreign Film | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Nominated | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Original Score | Alexandre Desplat | Nominated | |
| Chicago International Film Festival | Audience Choice Award | Stephen Frears | Won | |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | Excellence in Contemporary Film | Consolata Boyle | Won | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Writer | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Top 10 Films | Top 10 Films | 4th Place | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Nominated | |
| David di Donatello Awards | Best European Film | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Nominated | |
| Empire Awards | Best British Film | Best British Film | Nominated | |
| Empire Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Nominated | |
| European Film Awards | European Film | European Film | Nominated | |
| European Film Awards | European Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| European Film Awards | European Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| European Film Awards | European Screenwriter | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| European Film Awards | European Composer | Alexandre Desplat | Won | |
| European Film Awards | Prix d'Excellence | Lucia Zucchetti (for editing) | Nominated | |
| European Film Awards | People's Choice Award | People's Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Evening Standard British Film Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan (also for The Last King of Scotland) | Won | |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Gold Derby Film Awards | Best Lead Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Gold Derby Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| Gold Derby Film Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| Gold Derby Film Awards | Best Costume Design | Consolata Boyle | Nominated | |
| Gold Derby Film Awards | Best Makeup/Hair | Daniel Phillips | Nominated | |
| Gold Derby Film Awards | Best Original Music | Alexandre Desplat | Nominated | |
| Golden Eagle Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Stephen Frears | Won | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Director – Motion Picture | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Golden Schmoes Awards | Actress of the Year | Helen Mirren | Nominated | |
| Goya Awards | Best European Film | Stephen Frears | Won | |
| IndieWire Critics Poll | Best Lead Performance | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| IndieWire Critics Poll | Best Supporting Performance | Michael Sheen | 9th Place | |
| IndieWire Critics Poll | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | 5th Place | |
| International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Original Score | Alexandre Desplat (also for The Painted Veil) | Won | |
| International Film Music Critics Association Awards | Best Original Score for a Drama Film | Alexandre Desplat | Nominated | |
| International Online Cinema Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| International Online Cinema Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Nominated | |
| International Online Cinema Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| International Online Cinema Awards | Best Original Score | Alexandre Desplat | Nominated | |
| Iowa Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | style="background: #9EFF9E; color: #000; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="yes table-yes2 notheme"|Won | |
| Irish Film & Television Awards | Best Costume Design | Consolata Boyle | Won | |
| Irish Film & Television Awards | Best International Actress (People's Choice Award) | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Italian Online Movie Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Italian Online Movie Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | 9th Place | |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | Film of the Year | Film of the Year | Nominated | |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | British Film of the Year | British Film of the Year | Won | |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | British Director of the Year | Stephen Frears | Won | |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | Actress of the Year | Helen Mirren | Nominated | |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | British Actress of the Year | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | British Supporting Actress of the Year | Helen McCrory | Nominated | |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | Screenwriter of the Year | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Runner-up | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Music | Alexandre Desplat (also for The Painted Veil) | Won | |
| Movieguide Awards | Best Movie for Mature Audiences | Best Movie for Mature Audiences | Won | |
| Nastro d'Argento | Best European Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| National Board of Review Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Runner-up | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Runner-up | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Online Awards | Top 10 Films | Top 10 Films | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Online Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Online Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Online Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Online Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Online Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards | Top Ten Films | Top Ten Films | Won | |
| Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Breakthrough Performance: Male | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensemble | Best Ensemble | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Casting | Best Casting | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Costume Design | Best Costume Design | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Makeup and Hairstyling | Best Makeup and Hairstyling | Nominated | |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Polish Film Awards | Best European Film | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Political Film Society Awards | Democracy | Democracy | Nominated | |
| Political Film Society Awards | Exposé | Exposé | Nominated | |
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | Andy Harries, Christine Langan, and Tracey Seaward | Nominated | |
| Robert Awards | Best Non-American Film | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Santa Barbara International Film Festival | Outstanding Performer of the Year Award | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | 3rd Place | |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Nominated | |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Best Film | Won | |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | Best Director | Stephen Frears | Won | |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | Best Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Won | |
| Utah Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Utah Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Michael Sheen | Won | |
| Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Venice Film Festival | Golden Lion | Stephen Frears | Nominated | [76] [77] |
| Venice Film Festival | FIPRESCI Award | Stephen Frears | Won | [76] [77] |
| Venice Film Festival | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | [76] [77] |
| Venice Film Festival | Golden Osella | Peter Morgan | Won | [76] [77] |
| Village Voice Film Poll | Best Film | Best Film | 4th Place | |
| Village Voice Film Poll | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Picture About a Woman | Best Picture About a Woman | Won | |
| Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| Women's Image Network Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Feature Film | Helen Mirren | Won | |
| World Soundtrack Awards | Soundtrack Composer of the Year | Alexandre Desplat (also for The Painted Veil) | Won | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Peter Morgan | Nominated | |

### Top ten lists

The film appeared on many US critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2006.

## Soundtrack

The soundtrack album was released on the Milan label on 26 September 2006. The original score and songs were composed by Alexandre Desplat and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The album was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. It was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music (it lost to the score of Babel).