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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Ellie Kemp

A doll of The Queen to celebrate her birthday and jubilee has been released - and everyone is saying the same thing

A special Barbie doll has been unveiled to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's 96th birthday on Thursday (21 April) and Platinum Jubilee later this month - and everyone is saying the same thing about the figurine's likeliness.

Her Majesty's doll is fitted with an elegant ivory gown and blue ribbon adorned with decorations of order. It's presented in a box inspired by the styles of Buckingham Palace, made from a 3D ornate die-cut border framing the figure, and an inner panel showing the throne and the red carpet of the throne room.

Queen Elizabeth II joins the line-up of Barbie’s Tribute Collection, which was launched last year in celebration of “visionary individuals with an outstanding impact and legacy within society”. Royal fanatics can bag themselves a doll by visiting Harrods, Hamley’s, Selfridges, John Lewis or Amazon.

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But people are saying that the plastic doll looks more like a different kind of royalty... entertainment royalty, to be precise; actress Dame Helen Mirren. Taking to Facebook, Jo L Heslop commented: "I think they've worked off the wrong picture of the Queen. Looking good Dame Helen Mirren," while David Thompson said: "Ha ha, definitely more like Helen Mirren."

Facebook user Kenneth Rosenoern added: "Helen Mirren will be chuffed lol," and Fiona Jaundrell echoed: "Also look like Helen Mirren". Coincidentally, Dame Helen will be leading an all-star cast in a television broadcast to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. She'll be joined by Tom Cruise and Damian Lewis.

(Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

The theatrical arena event, which will be broadcast live on ITV from the grounds of Windsor Castle on May 15, will feature 1,300 performers and 500 horses. It will be made up of four acts, each overseen by a different event host – Cruise, Lewis, Adjoa Andoh and Alan Titchmarsh – and will look back through history from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Dame Helen will take on the role of Queen Elizabeth I, while a cast of Queen’s Players will be introduced by a character called The Herald played by Omid Djalili. Other guests will include Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ant and Dec, Dame Joan Collins and Sir David Jason.

The Queen, who is the world's long-reigning monarch, celebrates her Platinum Jubilee on Thursday 2 June, marking 70 years of service. The UK will get to enjoy a four day bank holiday weekend from Thursday until Sunday 5 June.

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