Helen Ryan

Helen Ryan (born 16 June 1938) is a British actress known for her notable roles in various royal portrayals. She received a BAFTA nomination for her portrayal of Queen Alexandra in the British television series Edward the Seventh (1975), and she played Princess Alexandra in the movie The Elephant Man (1980) and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in the television drama Bertie and Elizabeth (2002). Ryan's 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). In 2022, she appeared as Peggy Roath in the fifth season of The Crown. Ryan was formerly married to theatre director Guy Slater and has a daughter named Rebecca and a son named Daniel.