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　　ImagineforamomentyouarenewlyelectedlandslidePrimeMinister,TonyBlair,andyourmodernisingbeliefsdon'treallywelcomeobeisancetoanoutdatedmonarchy.PrincessDianadies,andthenationturnswithvenomoustoothandclaw(aidedperhapsbyacertainspindoctor)againsttheRoyals.Agoldenopportunity?ButBlairfeelsthereissomethingunseemlyabouttearingtheQueentobitsand,inthemiddleofthecrisis,kicksinsomedamagecontrol.

　　Thisisthedynamicofpowerthatbouncesbackandforth,aidedbyshrewishasidesfromCherieBlair("Offtoseethegirlfriend,then?")andherhilariouscurtsythatmanagestoberespectfulwhilestilltakingthep*ss.Deliveringasparklydialogueandanespeciallywittybattlebetweenmonarchandminister,directorStephenFrears'centralaccomplishmentstillhastobecastingHelenMirrenastheQueen.Nohard-lineroyalist,MirrenhassaidshethoughttwicebeforeacceptingherhonoursasaDameoftheBritishEmpirein2003,butherportraithereisconvincinglyastute,supportingaremarkablephysicaltransformationwithasensitivecharacterisationthatendearstheQueentousandrendershermajesty'scharismaallthemoreapparent.

　　InanearlyscenewheretheQueenischattingtoherportraitartist,shementionsthecomingelectionandexpressesalongingtovote,justonce,for"thesheerjoyofbeingpartial."Theartistremindsherthatitis,afterall,hergovernment,andQueenElizabethretorts,"Yes,Isupposethat'ssomeconsolation."Obviouslythere'ssomethingsmoneycan'tbuy.

　　Thefilmexamineshercharacter,herstoicaldignitybornofyearsoftolerancenotofherchoosing,andismaybesogrippingbecausepreviousportraitshavebeenlittlemorethanaregalcipher.Attheend,wefeelthatwehavebeenprivytotheprivatelifeofapersonwho,likeherornot,isafeatureofeveryone'slifeintheUK.ItmaybelacksthegrandeurthatistraditionallyassociatedwiththeQueen,butisneverthelessafairlysympatheticportrait.WhenBlairtellsherhowherratingshavedroppedtoanalltimelow,sheisgenuinelyupsetthatshehasfailedtoreadherpublic-towhomshehasdevotedherlife.Thefilm,withallitslight-heartedtouches,maybeevenassiststheprocessof'modernisation'thattheMonarchynowbelievesisinevitable.

　　Muchofthepowerintheperformancesisfromunexpressedemotion.Alltheplayersareinsuchimportantpositionsthatdisplaysoffeelingareusuallytaboo,publiclyandsometimesprivatelyaswell.Afterherhusbandtakeshergrandchildrenstaghuntingto'taketheirmindoffthings',theQueenisprivatelyclosetosheddingatearforthestag.AmomentintheBalmoralcountrysidewhensheisalonewiththecreaturerevealsasenseofwonderinherthatshecannotcommunicatetothehumancompanionsofherworld,andshevisitsthebodyofthebeast(whenitislaterkilledbyaneighbour)withmorealacritythanshefeelstowardsadeaddaughter-in-lawwhohasbeenhernearruin.Diana,inlife,wasperhapsalsoisolated,andweareremindedofherdevotiontocausessuchasbanningland-mines-causestowhichshecouldunleashheremotionand,fortunatelyforher,towhichthepubliccouldalsoidentify.

　　Thefilmevokesstrongfeelings-notleastinbringingbackthesenseofnationalmourningthatfollowedDiana'sdeath(actualfootageisusedandthemomentsleadingtothecarcrasharemovinglyre-created)evenifthisgoesontoanalmostsugarye