British actress and comedian Imelda Staunton visited Windsor Castle, where she was elevated to the title of Lady Commander. This Tuesday, November 12, the interpreter of Elizabeth II in the series The Crown was decorated by Prince William.
A great distinction. British actress Imelda Staunton has been awarded the honorary title of Lady Commander of the British Empire. Second highest distinction in England, the London native receives the third distinction of her career. In 2006, she was already awarded the title of Officer of the British Empire by the Queen.
Ten years later, she was elevated to the rank of Commander, again at the instigation of Queen Elizabeth II. This year, King Charles III published in June the list of citizens to be distinguished. A few months later, namely on Tuesday November 12, the investiture ceremony took place, during which Imelda Staunton received her regalia from the hands of Prince William.
A remarkable career
Aged 68, Imelda Staunton has a busy career. Revealed in 2004 in the film Vera Drake, she achieved international fame in Harry Potter with her role as Dolores Umbridge. Then, she had a string of successes: Nanny McPhee (2005, 2010), Maleficent (2014, 2019), Paddington (2014, 2017) but also the series Downton Abbey (2019, 2022).
In 2021, she succeeded actresses Claire Foy and Olivia Colman to play Queen Elizabeth II in the series The Crown. She is the first actress to play the role of the sovereign shortly after her death.
Imelda Staunton has received numerous awards, notably for her performance in Vera Drake. For her interpretation of the queen, she was nominated for two consecutive years at the Golden Globes, but also at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
