Helen Mirren, who recently won an Oscar for her portrayal of the Queen, doesn’t see Kate Middleton as the “new Diana”, as some do. No, it’s quite obviously Paris Hilton, she claims.

Paris Hilton, left, Princess Diana, right

The Dame believes that the hotel heiress has what it takes to reach the same heights as Diana. “I don’t applaud Paris Hilton, but I think she’s pretty cool,” Helen says. “She’s developed, like Princess Diana, that deliberate foolishness, which is disarming.”

Dear oh dear, when actors reveal their real thoughts, they kind of diminish, don’t they? No Oscar for punditry for you, Dame Helen.

Using digital technology to place the Queen against a moody backdrop of Buckingham Palace lake, Anne Leibovitz has produced another atmospheric photograph of the Monarch to celebrate her 81st birthday.

The picture has elicited a lot of unfavourable comments, including that it’s too contrived and theatrical for a lady not known for her thespian ways — not in public anyway.

It could be seen as HM’s Wuthering Heights moment, or even her appearance as the French Lieutenant’s Woman.

I suppose since the world’s rediscovery of Her Majesty following Helen Mirren’s striking portrayal of her in The Queen, for which she won an Oscar as best actress, something of this nature might be thought appropriate.

For myself, although I liked the first portrait, also published on Royal Anecdotes, I think this one may be just a little over the top.

Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren is reported to have turned down a personal invitation to dine with the Queen on May 1st because she is currently filming in America. It may have been wiser of the Palace to check on her availability first, rather than forcing her to cancel such an important engagement.

There’s very little activity today in the Royal romance stakes. Our spies on the ground in all the Royal estates are reporting nothing moving through their long-lens binoculars. Except a few stags.

So we’re taking this opportunity to run a small competition. Submit a post to this site on any Royal topic you choose — Kate Middleton might be a good start — and the winner will be published here, with a byline and a link — if requested. They will also win a copy of The Queen DVD.

Just send your post to John(at)RoyalAnecdotes(dot)com.

You will need to provide a physical address if you want to claim the DVD, of course. Our Privacy Policy is here.

We’re told that bookmakers in Los Angeles are already paying out on bets that Helen Mirren will win Best Actress Oscar for her brilliant and sympathetic portrayal of the Queen.

Speculation has been rife about whether the Queen has seen the film and what she thought about it. Now it has emerged that HM has invited Mirren to lunch on her return from Los Angeles, where she is currently enjoying the run-up to tomorrow’s Academy Awards.

Royal sources say : “Helen will go as herself but the Queen is keen for her to put on the voice and do the mannerisms when they meet up. The Queen has seen the film and she thinks it is terrific. Not many people realize but the Queen has a wonderful sense of humour and will find it very funny if Helen performs for her at the table.”

Many years ago when Prince Charles was young and eligible, Helen Mirren said she would like to marry him because she would make a great Queen. Well, she made a great Queen, but not in the way she expected.

Maybe it’s better that way.