Entertainment
Dame Helen Mirren to mark Queen’s 95th birthday with celebratory album
Dame Helen Mirren is set to mark the Queen’s 95th birthday with a celebratory album.
The actress – who won an Oscar for her role as the monarch in The Queen – has joined forces with Homeland star Damian Lewis to narrate a series on royals throughout history.
The Music Of Kings And Queens will tell the story of 12 monarchs and their impact on the UK, beginning with William the Conqueror and ending with the current day Queen.
Each royal will be introduced with a recollection by Dame Helen and Damian – written by Simon Brooks-Ward – and accompanied by a piece of music by Grammy-nominated Composer Debbie Wiseman.
Debbie was originally asked to create a soundtrack for the Queen’s birthday parade, before it was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Dame Helen is very familiar with the royal family, and portrayed the monarch in the 2006 flick, The Queen – a role she won an Oscar for the following year.
She also played the Queen in the 2013 stage play, The Audience.
Speaking about the project, she enthused: ‘I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with Debbie on the musical journey into royal history.
‘It was a privilege to record the words with Damian and to be part of celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s 95th birthday.
‘Debbie has done a marvellous job composing and recording the music.
‘We may not remember most of our prime ministers, politicians, military or even ground-breaking scientists but we will have a good grasp of our Kings and Queens who have shaped our Nation. This is their story and their legacy.’
‘I was delighted to be asked to help Debbie and Helen narrate an image of the monarchs; the heroic, the noble and the fallible,’ Damian agreed.
‘To take a glimpse into the hearts and minds of those Kings and Queens, through Debbie’s emotive music, was illuminating – and very enjoyable.’
The Music Of Kings And Queens is released by Decca Records on June 11.
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