Claim: Helen Mirren has portrayed a queen.

The Queen is a 2006 British fictional drama film depicting the British Royal Family 's response to the death of Diana , Princess of Wales , on 31 August 1997 . The film was directed by Stephen Frears , written by Peter Morgan , and starred Helen Mirren in the title role of Queen Elizabeth II .   In the film , the Royal Family regards Diana 's death as a private affair and thus not to be treated as an official Royal death . This is in contrast with the views of 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 release coincided with a revival of favourable public sentiment in respect to the monarchy and a downturn in fortunes for Blair . Michael Sheen reprised his role as Blair from The Deal , and he did so again in The Special Relationship . The Queen also garnered general critical and popular acclaim for Mirren in the title role , which earned her numerous awards , including the Academy Award for Best Actress . Mirren was also praised by the Queen herself and invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace -LRB- though she could not attend due to filming commitments in Hollywood -RRB- .