Helen Mirren young: 25 photos from her younger years

Like many of the elite circle of British actors of a certain age, Helen began her career on stage, successfully auditioning for the prestigious National Youth Theatre at age 18. Here she is as Cleopatra, in Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra, in the 60s.

Her time in the NYT landed her a place in that other bastion of British acting talent, the Royal Shakespeare Company. Here she is on stage in Stratford, the home of the RSC, playing Cressida, in a scene from Troilus and Cressida.

How incredible does Helen look in this shoot from 1974?

In 1969, Helen landed her first role in a major film, playing wild child Cora Ryan in the Australian comedy-drama Age of Consent. The picture didn't receive rave reviews in the UK but it set Helen on the path to stardom nonetheless.

We love this golden look from Helen's younger years!

In early 1980, British cult film Hussy is released to mixed review, with Helen playing a London sex worker. The now iconic film poster cemented Helen as a bona-fide sex symbol.

How gorgeous does Helen look here with her bushy blonde fringe?

The same year, Helen had her real breakthrough role as Victoria in successful Gangster film, The Long Good Friday. The film made Helen into a true Hollywood star, and in 2015 it was restored for it's 35th anniversary.

By now well known as a blonde bombshell, in 1984 Helen dyed her hair dark brown for a role in the feature length film, Cal. She won the Cannes Film Award for best actress for her portrayal of Catholic librarian Marcella.

Helen married director Taylor in 1997, having been a couple for over a decade after meeting on the set of White Nights in 1986. It was her first marriage and his third, and he has two children from a previous marriage.

Back on stage, Helen revisited the role of Shakespeare's Cleopatra when she starred alongside Alan Rickman in the 1998 stage show at Britain's National Theatre.

It might not have been her glitziest, most Hollywood role, but starring alongside her friend Dame Julie Walters in the early noughties production of Calendar Girls - about a group of older ladies who want to celebrate their bodies in a naked calendar - gave Helen pure National Treasure status.

The same year, Helen was awarded a Damehood by the Prince of Wales for her services to the Performing Arts.

In 2005 Helen took on the role of Queen Elizabeth I in a two-part mini-series for Channel 4, a role she reprised for 'A Gallop Through History' performance, part of the official celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.

She also took on the role of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen, which followed the Royal Family in the aftermath of Princess Diana's death.

Above Helen is seen posing with a wax replica of herself portraying the role of the Queen.

And it was about time, too.

Less than a decade later Helen would reprise the role of Her Maj once more, this time in a stage play called The Audience. The production saw great success on London's West End before travelling to New York's Broadway.

Well, actually, she got three of them. In 2010, London institution Madame Tussauds honoured Dame Helen in with three waxwork incarnations of her most loved roles and looks. Can you tell the real Helen from the waxworks here?

It's not just Helen's incredible career that's worth noting. She's left a mark on the hearts of plenty of her showbiz peers and formed some incredible relationships, too. In the 80s she lived with Liam Neeson, who credits her with finding him an agent and starting his career.

Here she is with fellow Hollywood royalty, Meryl Streep and Cher. We would love to have been a fly on the wall at that party.

She's also got plenty of long-term pals from her involvement in the Royal Shakespeare company. She and Dame Judi Dench first acted together in the 60s, and are still friends to this day.

Almost unheard of in Hollywood, Helen and her first husband Taylor are still going strong after all this time.

Revered worldwide for embracing her natural beauty and ageing gracefully, in recent years Helen has taken on the role as brand ambassador for global beauty superbrand L'Oreal's Age Perfect range.