This footage was filmed and produced 14 December 2023.

Imelda Staunton has said she feels “bereft but relieved in equal measure” to retire her portrayal of the late Queen as The Crown comes to an end.

The veteran actress, 67, portrays the former monarch in the fifth and sixth series of the hit Netflix royal drama, following in the footsteps of Claire Foy and Olivia Colman who played younger versions of Queen Elizabeth in the show.

Part two of the final season, which is due to be released on Thursday, will see the Queen reflect on the future of the monarchy as she reaches her Golden Jubilee, Charles and Camilla getting married, and a romance blossoming between William and Kate.

Reflecting on her time with the show, Staunton told the PA news agency: “It’s been remarkable and I’ve loved every second of it.

“I’ve been living with it for two-and-a-half years, a bit longer and now that it’s over I feel bereft but relieved, I suppose, in equal measure.”