Jeannette Charles

Acting · 1927–2024 · London, England, UK

Jeannette Dorothea Louise Charles (née Clark; October 15, 1927 - June 2, 2024) was an English actress, known for her portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II. She performed in repertory theatre in her twenties, but initially had difficulty obtaining Equity membership due to her resemblance to the Queen. She went on to play that role in numerous films including Secrets of a Superstud (1976), Queen Kong (1976), The Rutles' movie All You Need Is Cash (1978), National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).

Full biography

On television, Charles appeared as a semi-regular in Spike Milligan's Q series on BBC Television and appeared on Channel 4's Big Brother 10 to surprise the Brazilian contestant Rodrigo Lopes (who thought he was meeting the real Queen Elizabeth II for a task). She also appeared in Saturday Night Live episode, Season 2, Episode 20 in 1977 and Mind Your Language episode, Season 2 Episode 2 Queen For a Day in 1978.

She retired in 2014 and resided in Chelmsford, Essex. She passed away a decade later on June 2nd, 2024 at the age of 96.