Dame Helen Mirren has produced a fair amount of joyful stories throughout the years, but there's one that stands out ahead of the rest.
The fan favourite actress will be part of the hosting team for The Queen ’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration on Sunday night.
It is no surprise that the 76-year-old is perfect for the presenter role - especially as she has enjoyed intimate tea with Her Majesty in the past.
However, the event came at some expense as Dame Helen has since revealed the "embarrassing event" aside the monarch.
She gave an insight into the Queen's tea time while speaking ahead of ITV 's big TV extravaganza.
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The English actress revealed she had an awkward run-in with the monarch where she ended up talking "gobbledygook".
She recalled the moment in 2019 at her Helen Mirren and Hawk Koch Discuss The Magic of Movies’ event.
She said: “She invited me for tea. I thought it was going to be in a room with 200 other people, which it often is.
“I’ve met her once before and it was in a room with 200 other people.
“So I said, ‘Oh well I can manage that.’ So it was at the horsey place and the message came to me that the Queen would like to invite you to tea, she knows you’re here.”
However, much to her shock, the Oscar winner was escorted into a room of just eight people, including the Queen herself and her former husband Prince Philip.
“So I walk in, and there’s like eight people sitting around a table. Prince Philip, the Queen, a Sheik of somewhere or other and a couple of horsey people," she said.
“I know absolutely nothing about horses, at all, and the Queen knows everything about horses.”
Helen - who has portrayed the Queen on-screen before - revealed that she began to panic as "desperately tried to make polite conversation".
However, all that came out was "gobbledygook.”
She continued: “The milk is on the other side of Prince Philip and I want some milk in my tea, but my brain goes completely dead and I cannot remember how to address Prince Philip."
The national treasure was unsure how to address the Prince, wondering whether it was Sir, your Majesty, or even your Highness.
Looking back, she said: "Is it rude to ask him to pass the milk? Or should I just ask for a lackey?"
Helen added: “I finished up not having any milk. I just couldn’t sort it out. It’s a lesson in embarrassment, but they were lovely, they were utterly gracious.”
In June, the jubilee will bring a host of festivities to honour the Queen, who has notched up notching up 70 loyal and tireless years on the throne, making her the longest-serving British monarch ever.
In honour of the event, Dame Helen will join alongside the likes of Tom Cruise and Phillip Schofield as they pay tribute to the Queen's 70 years of service.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration airs Sunday 15th May on ITV and ITV Hub.
