Helen Mirren 'Applauds' Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Decision To Step Back From Royal Duties

Helen Mirren has thrown in her support for Meghan Markle, stating that she “applauds” hers and Prince Harry’s decision to step back from their previous royal duties and movie to Canada. At the same time, the Oscar-winning actress says that their move away from their royal duties is also a “loss” for the royal family.

“Meghan Markle was a fantastic addition to the royal family,” Mirren said to Variety. “Charming, did everything right, was gracious, was sweet-natured, and seemed to be … Wow! What a lovely addition. Didn’t seem to be neurotic.” While many have criticized Markle and Harry for their decision to become independent, Mirren believes their instincts to be absolutely correct.

“I applaud them for it,” Mirren said. “Hugely actually.”

Mirren then tossed some criticism in the way of tabloids who portrayed Markle in negative ways, saying that the “tabloid pearl-clutchers will get over their trauma at not having someone to attack all the time.” Mirren believes they’ll eventually find someone to give the same treatment to -- another “victim.”

Mirren has some insight into the life of a royal after winning the Best Actress Oscar at the 2007 Academy Awards for her portrayal of Prince Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Over the course of her acting career, Mirren has witnessed a rise in position for female actors. Yet she believes that the industry still has a lot to work on to further empower actresses, but as far as they’ve come, they have a lot to be proud of. “It’s absolutely great,” she emphatically claimed.

“It just pisses me off that I’m not now 23, and that that world is not open to me,” Mirren pointed out, stating: “because it is a much better world than it was when I was 23.”

Markle herself is a retired actress and, now that she’s left the palace behind, the “Suits” star is in talks to continue her acting career with Disney.