EDITOR’S LETTER

When it comes to playing Queens of England, British actresses reign supreme. Judi Dench and Helen Mirren have made their mark on the big screen as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II respectively, but it’s the TV actresses that I really love. I think it started with Glenda Jackson in Elizabeth R. I once picked up a copy of the BBC series about the Tudor queen in a video shop (remember those?) and found myself binge-watching every episode. We’ve seen a fair few monarchs on our screen since then, ranging from The Tudors to The Windsors, with Claire Foy a standout in The Crown. But this week another monarch returns to our screens in the form of Jenna Coleman as Queen Victoria (story page 4). This will be her third season in the role and what a treat she has been. Sadly, she’s saying that it will soon be necessary to abdicate in favour of an older actress. The Crown found the wonderful Olivia Colman to replace Foy. Let’s hope they find someone of the same calibre to fill Coleman’s shoes. julie.eley@stuff.co.nz