Joanna Lumley has a ‘suspicion’ that the Royal Family are ‘much closer than we think’

 Joanna Lumley, 75, discussed writing a tribute to the Queen and the ongoing reports of division within the family.

She released A Queen For All Seasons: A Celebration of Our One and Only Queen Elizabeth II On Her Platinum Jubilee in October and in the wake of the release she has discussed the ‘kind and so friendly and so polite and not grand’ Royals. 

Revealing she sent a copy of her book to the Queen, she also detailed her thoughts on The Crown and confessed that she has a ‘suspicion’ that the family is ‘much closer than we think’, during an appearance on Saturday’s The Jonathan Ross Show. 

Hitting out: Joanna, who is a friend of Prince Charles, 73, previously slammed Netflix series The Crown, branding the show ‘laughable’ and ‘insane’ (pictured together in 2013)

Speaking with host Jonathan, Joanna said: ‘I think we all look from the outside and we don’t actually know what’s going on on the inside – we second guess it.’

She went on to admit that she doesn’t watch hit Netflix series, The Crown, because it’s not a true account of the family. 

The former model said: ‘These are real people and suddenly they’re made up to be different people and I don’t think it’s right…

‘I don’t think we really know what goes on behind anybody’s closed doors. I think, I have a suspicion, that that family’s much closer than we think.’

The Queen’s biggest fan: Joanna added that the family were ‘good hearted people’ as she recalled the time that she met them (pictured with the Queen in 2000)

In a previous interview with with Australian Women’s Weekly, she told the magazine: ‘I don’t think they watch it and I never watch it.’

Joanna added: ‘All the poor actors who are doing their best to copy them, it’s awful. Imagine somebody making up conversations they think you’ve had.’

‘I know them [the royal family], so I know it’s all made up and it’s rubbish.’  

The Crown has been widely criticised for its unfair portrayal of the royal family, and even the very first episode of season four featured inaccuracies.

Viewers saw Lord Mountbatten (played by Charles Dance) writing a letter in which he warns Prince Charles against bringing ‘ruin and disappointment’ to his family and insists that he drops Camilla. 

Not a fan! She went on to admit that she doesn’t watch hit Netflix series, The Crown, because it’s not a true account of the family

Joanna, who received an OBE in 1995 and attended Charles and Camilla’s 2005 wedding said to Jonathan Ross: ‘They are so kind and so friendly and so polite and not grand. You’ll find kindly, good-hearted people.’

She continued as she said that the Queen was a ‘down to earth’ individual: ‘A friend of mine who was a grand old painter, he painted the Queen several times…

‘One day she was sitting for him and she said, “Do you think it’s cold in here?” She said, “I think it’s cold.” She got on her knees, got some twigs… set a little fire going [in the hearth]. You kind of don’t imagine the Queen doing that.’ 

 New book: Joanna, who received an OBE in 1995, published her book A Queen for All Seasons, in October this year in celebration of the Queen’s platinum jubilee

Joanna published her book A Queen for All Seasons, in October this year in celebration of the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

The actress, traces the monarchs life from 1950 to the present day as she gives an insight into key events during her reign and pays tribute.   

She detailed that she sent the Queen a copy of the publication after speaking with aides of the palace. 

Joanna confessed: ‘I love the idea that it went in on a trolley and it was placed before Her Majesty, who might have even picked it up and looked at it with that lovely Andy Warhol image on the front. 

‘Her majesty sent a message to say she was grateful I’d taken the trouble to send the book and sent her warmest wishes.’  

The award winning star, who has enjoyed a career spanning over 50 years, explained that the industry will retire her when the time comes. 

She added: ‘Her majesty sent a message to say she was grateful I’d taken the trouble to send the book and sent her warmest wishes’

Joanna confessed: ‘I love the idea that it went in on a trolley and it was placed before Her Majesty, who might have even picked it up’

She continued: ‘I guess in the end the phone will stop ringing. Lockdown was rather like being retired, suddenly everything stopped. For the first time ever I thought, ‘What shall I do today?’ which was pretty exciting.

‘We had that blissful summer… it was so beautiful. You think, ‘Gee this is a different kind of living.’

Although she did admitted that she enjoys the ‘buzz’ that comes with a busy working life, saying: ‘Sometimes the balance is a bit out of whack, you’re working too much and you’re not ever doing the things you love..

‘I’d love to paint more, see my friends more, sleep more, read more.’ 

Joanna will star alongside Usain Bolt, Holly Willoughby, Jamie Doran and Shalom Brune-Franklin and Damon Albarn on the show.

The Jonathan Ross Show, Saturday at 10:05PM on ITV and ITV Hub 

Joanna will star alongside Usain Bolt, Holly Willoughby, Jamie Doran and Shalom Brune-Franklin and Damon Albarn on Saturday’s installment of The Jonathan Ross Show