Her Majesty, in a striking peacock-print dress from Bombshell London, catches up (right) with fellow poetry fan Helena
Her passion for books is well knownand last week, the Queen showed her love of poetry when she hosted a special event celebrating the art form.
Opening the doors to Clarence House, her London home, Her Majesty was joined by famous faces including actress Helena Bonham Carter at a reception to mark 30 years of poetry charity the Forward Arts Foundation.
Wearing a bright floral dress, a string of pearls and red lipstick, Helena, who played Princess Margaret in series three of Netflix show The Crown, gave a deep curtsy as she greeted the smiling Queen, looking elegant in a striking peacockprint silk frock by Bombshell London. The pair posed for photographs together and chatted animatedly, with Helena later saying she “loved the fact that the Queen loves words”, adding that poetry was “totally therapeutic and great for mental health”.
POETRY FOR ALL
Forward Arts promotes public knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of poetry in the UK and Ireland through its programmes, which include National Poetry Day, and also awards the prestigious Forward Prizes for Poetry.
Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, a previous winner, was among the guests who chatted to the Queen, as were actresses Karen Bryson and Natascha McElhone. Speaking about her passion for poetry, Her Majesty told one guest: “It’s never too late to start.”
The Queen poses with guests including Helena and Forward Arts Foundation founder William Sieghart (on her left), and Helena reads one of William’s poems (above left)
PHOTOS: IAN JONES. PA IMAGES
‘I love the fact that the Queen loves words’
Helena Bonham Carter
During a special reception at Clarence House the Queen chats (left) to journalist and author Kavita Puri and actress Denise Gough and (right) greets actress N ataschaMcElhone. Her Majesty, well known as a book lover and avid reader, told one guest: “It’s never too late to start” when developing a love for verse
Forward Arts founder William Sieghart gave a speech about the charity’s origins, saying: “It’s remarkable the journey that poetry has been on in those 30 years because when I began, it was a slightly forgotten art form and not something that people really talked about. But in a way, it’s our greatest cultural export to the world.”
He added that the Queen’s involvement was “marvellous” and proof the foundation was achieving its ambitions.
Helena, who is president of the London Library, as well as a big fan of poetry, rounded off the reception with a reading of one of William’s own poems, Yes. The Sweeney Todd actress also praised the poet and the charity and said they had “single-handedly, together with the Forward Prizes, brought poetry more into people’s minds as a very necessary, fantastic and essential thing”.
FACT MEETS FICTION
After the sixth and final series of The Crown was announced last week, the drama may well have been in people’s minds when Helena met the Queen.
The actress said earlier this year that she didn’t think the series should carry on into the present. “I loved my episodes, but it’s very different now,” she said. “It was a historic drama and now it’s crashed into the present. But that’s up to them.”
However, the film star and the Queen appeared to get on like a house on fire as they shared their love of the written word.
REPORT: ROSALIND POWELL