The Queen (2006 film)
| The Queen | |
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British theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Stephen Frears |
| Written by | Peter Morgan |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Affonso Beato |
| Edited by | Lucia Zucchetti |
| Music by | Alexandre Desplat |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Pathé Distribution (France, Switzerland & United Kingdom) BIM Distribuzione (Italy) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 103 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $15 million |
| Box office | $123.5 million |
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. He would play Blair 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.