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Helen Ryan
ActorBorn June 16, 1938 (86 years)
Helen Ryan (born June 16, 1938, in Liverpool, Lancashire) is a British actress, who is notable for playing several royal roles.
The Liverpool native played Princess and then Queen Alexandra in the British television series Edward the Seventh, for which she received a BAFTA nomination in 1975. She also played Princess Alexandra in the 1980 movie The Elephant Man and the Sherlock Holmes story "The Mazarin Stone". She played another royal, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, in the 2002 television drama Bertie and Elizabeth. Her other credits include Madame Balzac in the TV series Prometheus: The Life of Balzac (1975), Mrs. McFarlane in the Sherlock Holmes story "The Norwood Builder", and films such as Clash of Loyalties (1983), Misunderstood (1984) and The Hawk (1993). More recently, Ryan has appeared as Peggy Roath, a personal aide to Queen Elizabeth II, in the fifth season of The Crown in 2022. In 2023, she appeared in the BBC soap opera Doctors as Thelma Scott.
She was formerly married to the theatre director Guy Slater, with whom she had a daughter, Rebecca, and a son, Daniel.
The Liverpool native played Princess and then Queen Alexandra in the British television series Edward the Seventh, for which she received a BAFTA nomination in 1975. She also played Princess Alexandra in the 1980 movie The Elephant Man and the Sherlock Holmes story "The Mazarin Stone". She played another royal, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, in the 2002 television drama Bertie and Elizabeth. Her other credits include Madame Balzac in the TV series Prometheus: The Life of Balzac (1975), Mrs. McFarlane in the Sherlock Holmes story "The Norwood Builder", and films such as Clash of Loyalties (1983), Misunderstood (1984) and The Hawk (1993). More recently, Ryan has appeared as Peggy Roath, a personal aide to Queen Elizabeth II, in the fifth season of The Crown in 2022. In 2023, she appeared in the BBC soap opera Doctors as Thelma Scott.
She was formerly married to the theatre director Guy Slater, with whom she had a daughter, Rebecca, and a son, Daniel.
Filmography
| 2024 | Old Guy · as Tory Dolinski |
| 2017 | The Raisin · as Woman At Door |
| 2016 | The Crown (TV Series) · as Queen's Dresser |
| 2016 | Letters from Baghdad · as Lady Florence Bell |
| 2015 | Writers Retreat · as W.g. |
| 2007 | Fallen Angel (TV Series) · as Angel's Neighbor |
| 2007 | Fallen Angel: Behind the Scenes · as Angel's Neighbour |
| 2006 | Confetti · as Naturist Violinist |
| 2003 | The Brides in the Bath · as Mrs. Farraday |
| 2002 | Bertie and Elizabeth · as Queen Wilhelmina |
| 2000 | Doctors (TV Series) · as Angela Lomax |
| 1999 | Holby City (TV Series) · as Dorothy Simms |
| 1997 | Midsomer Murders (TV Series) · as Mrs. Hilliard |
| 1994 | Just William (1994) (TV Series) · as Aunt Phoebe |
| 1993 | Bella Block (TV Series) · as Meredith Walters |
| 1993 | The Hawk · as Mrs Crowther |
| 1993 | Harry (1993) (TV Series) · as Lady Jenvey |
| 1992 | |
| 1988 | Hannay (TV Series) · as Babuschka |
| 1987 | Crystalstone · as Aunt |
| 1985 | My Brother Jonathan (TV Series) · as Lavinia Dakers |
| 1985 | C.A.T.S. Eyes (TV Series) · as Mary |
| 1984 | The Bill (TV Series) · as Anna Blake: Proctor's Story |
| 1984 | Sherlock Holmes (1984) (TV Series) · as Mrs Mcfarlane |
| 1984 | Misunderstood · as Lucy |
| 1983 | Clash of Loyalties · as Gertrude Bell |
| 1981 | My Father's House (TV Series) · as Celia Blake |
| 1980 | The Elephant Man · as Princess Alex |
| 1976 | The Duchess of Duke Street (TV Series) · as Olive Bradford |
| 1975 | Edward the Seventh (TV Series) · as Queen Alexandra |
| 1972 | Crown Court (TV Series) · as Dr. Bennett |
| 1972 | Van der Valk (TV Series) · as Eva Maris |
| 1971 | Persuasion (TV Series) · as Mrs. Harville |
| 1969 | ITV Saturday Night Theatre (TV Series) · as Hospital Nurse |
| 1967 | Look and Read (TV Series) · as Whizz |
| 1963 | Love Story (1963) (TV Series) · as Wendy |
| 1955 | Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) · as Mrs. Davies |