Screen and stage favourite Rosemary Leach dies at 81

ROSEMARY Leach has died at the age of 81 after a brief illness.

The Olivier Award-winning actress forged a long career on stage and screen – including playing the Queen three times.

She is survived by her husband Colin Starkey, who appeared in 2015 film Mr Holmes.

The star’s agent, Caroline de Wolfe, said yesterday: ‘It is with great sadness I must report that Miss Leach died in hospital on Saturday after a short illness.’

Last night Robert Lindsay paid tribute to his former co-star, with whom he appeared in BBC sitcom My Family.

‘I always regarded her as my mum,’ he said. ‘She sort of adopted me and, ironically, went on to play Zoe Wanamaker’s mother in My Family. She was always my surrogate mum and that’s how I will always think of her. RIP Mummy Rosie.’

Miss Leach won an Olivier Award in 1982 for her performance in the play 84 Charing Cross Road, before playing Mrs Honeychurch in the 1985 Oscar-winning film A Room With A View.

She also appeared opposite Ronnie Corbett in the 1970s sitcoms Now Look Here and The Prince Of Denmark, and starred alongside Nigel Havers in 1980s series The Charmer. Her outings as the Queen began in 2002 with US television film Prince William, followed by 2006 comedy Tea With Betty and in the BBC’s Margaret in 2009.

Miss Leach was born in Shropshire in 1935 and made her stage debut with the Amersham Repertory Theatre. She went on to take stage roles in Coventry, Birmingham and Liverpool.

Her other screen credits include TV series No, That’s Me Over Here! in 1967, as well as television films Cider With Rosie (1971) and Just Between Ourselves (1978). She also notched up roles in Midsomer Murders and Heartbeat.