About

Known credits:
15
Birthday:
1938-06-16
Place of birth:
Liverpool, England, UK
Website:
N/A

Helen Ryan

Overview

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.

Known for

Acting
2017 The Raisin Actor Woman at Door N/A
N/A
2016 Saddam Goes to Hollywood Actor 59
Average
2007 Fallen Angel Actor Angel's Neighbor 68
Fair
2006 Confetti Actor Naturist Violinist 58
Average
2003 The Brides in the Bath Actor Mrs. Farraday 58
Average
2002 Bertie and Elizabeth Actor Queen Wilhelmina 59
Average
1993 The Hawk Actor Mrs Crowther 58
Average
1987 Crystalstone Actor Aunt 59
Average
1985 My Brother Jonathan Actor Lavinia Dakers 69
Fair
1984 Misunderstood Actor Lucy 59
Average
1983 Clash of Loyalties Actor Gertrude Bell 59
Average
1980 The Elephant Man Actor Princess Alex 77
Good
1975 Jenny Can't Work Any Faster Actor Maureen N/A
N/A
1975 Edward the Seventh Actor Queen Alexandra 70
Good
1971 Persuasion Actor Mrs. Harville 70
Good