Haydn Gwynne, 'The Crown' Actress, Dead at 66
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Haydn Gwynne, known for acting in shows about the British royal family—like the Netflix drama series, The Crown, and the comedy series, The Windsors—has died at age 66.
On Oct. 20, Gwynne's agent confirmed the news to BBC, also sharing the cause of death.
“It is with great sadness we are sharing with you that, following her recent diagnosis with cancer, the star of stage and screen Haydn Gwynne died in hospital in the small hours of Friday 20 October, surrounded by her beloved sons, close family and friends,” the statement read.
It continued: “We would like to thank the staff and teams at the Royal Marsden and Brompton Hospitals for their wonderful care over the last few weeks.”
Helen Mirren, Gwynne's co-star from the the play, The Audience (in which Gwynne played Margaret Thatcher), took to Instagram with a touching tribute.
"Haydn was a delight as a person and a consummate dedicated actress," she captioned the post. "... She was both funny and serious at the same time, a brilliant balancing act that her whole career exemplified. We will miss her very much."
Haydn Gwynne performs Ladies Who Lunch Old Friends 2022 🍸 RIP pic.twitter.com/poijsiIDgR
— Carl Woodward (@mrcarl_woodward) October 20, 2023
As news of Gwynne's death spread, more of her fellow actors and former co-workers reacted via social media.
Actor Samuel West shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "This is a terrible loss. One of the nicest and one of the best."
Writer Jack Thorne tweeted, “Haydn was the kindest, loveliest soul and a wonderful performer. She gave everything to everything.”
In the late '80s, Gwynne had her big TV break with the drama series Nice Work. The actress went on to star in other British shows such as Drop the Dead Donkey (which earned her a BAFTA TV Award nomination and a British Comedy Award nomination), Merseybeat and Peak Practice. She also notably portrayed Julius Caesar's wife, Calpurnia, in the BBC series Rome.
Related: Helen Mirren, 78, Hits the Runway With Larger-Than-Life White Hair
Gwynne also experienced a successful stage career, receiving Olivier and Tony award nominations as the dance teacher in Billy Elliot the Musical. Additionally, she snagged three other Olivier nominations for City of Angels, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and The Threepenny Opera.
Gwynne is survived by her husband, Jason Phipps, and two children, Orlando and Cain (born Harrison before legally changing his name).
