Helen Mirren is fantastic and we all know it. It’s not a secret (nor has it ever been), but she’s really outdone herself this time. A 10-year-old boy who is battling cancer wished to have tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. I’m not sure why this didn’t happen, but Helen wasn’t allowed to let it go down like that, so she invited him backstage at The Audience and, dressed as the Queen, had tea and introduced the kid to her corgis. I LOVE IT.
From The Daily Mail:
Oliver Burton is facing his third battle with cancer and top of his bucket list was a visit to Buckingham Palace. But when the real Queen said she would not be able to meet the youngster, a limo was arranged so he could meet Dame Helen instead.
She paid for them to see her West End show in which she plays the Queen and then invited Oliver and mother Catherine Browne backstage where she introduced him to her corgis and her butler served tea. Catherine and father James were so delighted that their son actually thought the actress was the real Queen.
His father James Browne said: ‘She stayed in character for the whole thing. Oliver thought she was the real Queen, and well, that’s good enough for us.
‘She was really lovely. She did the whole thing – had a butler there, was dressed in costume and did it all properly for him.
‘She sat in Oliver’s wheelchair and gave him her big chair. She had a glass of coke together and biscuits and little sandwiches and they even brought in her corgis from the show, Coco and Roco. ‘She was wonderful and in some of the photos you do a double take because she really does look like the real Queen.
‘She knighted him and told everyone that they had to call him Sir Oliver. He had a brilliant day. He took his British flag and got her to sign it and just waved and waved it all day.’
Oh man, THAT IS SO PRECIOUS. And really, really sweet. I think my faith in humanity has gone up by a tiny percentage today.
I feel so bad for this kid. I had cancer at 19, and that was hell. I can’t imagine going through it twice, let alone a third time. He doesn’t look a day older than 12. Kids that young should not have to deal with cancer. What Helen did for him was awesome. Even if it was for a short time, i can guarantee it got his mind to a better place for bit.
Pure class.
Helen Mirren has tons more class than the real Queen, no doubt….
Just another reason why Helen Mirren kicks so much ass! What a lovely story and such a kind-hearted thing to do.
Job well done Hellen, very classy.