Dame Helen Mirren, 81, reveals she has taken cocaine in the past and vows 'I would not touch that drug ever again'

Dame Helen Mirren has revealed that she had taken cocaine in the past and vowed that she would 'not touch that drug again!'The MobLand actress, 81, admitted to using the drug recreationally in small amounts at parties until the early 1980s.She said: 'I loved coke. I never did a lot, just a little bit at parties.'But it was after seeing that Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie was funding his life in South America by operating as a cocaine baron that the actress stopped taking the drug.Helen told GQ magazine: 'When you're doing a drug, you're at a party... you just don't think where that's come from.'I would not touch that drug ever again. You have to be conscious of the journey it's taken to get to you.' Dame Helen Mirren has revealed that she had taken cocaine in the past and vowed that she would 'not touch that drug again!' The MobLand actress, 81, admitted to using the drug recreationally in small amounts at parties until the early 1980s (pictured in 1975)Another experience Mirren isn't keen to repeat is taking LSD, as she did in her 20s. Her autobiography, In The Frame, includes a photograph of the young actress rolling on a forest floor, clearly out of her mind.'It was the one and only time I took acid,' she exhaled, regarding the image fondly.'I had the most fabulous, magical time and came out of it thinking, 'I'm never going to do that again.' It was very powerful and I knew immediately that you do not mess with this. It was too much.'I did do, like the rest of my generation, marijuana and all the other stuff,' said Helen.'But I was always too committed to my profession. That was my ultimate drug.'Now 81, Helen is known for her healthy habits, including 'little changes' to her lifestyle, such as embracing ageing rather than fearing it.She told Woman&Home: 'Whatever you may think about ageing, it's something we must all try to embrace rather than fear. Now 81, Helen is known for her healthy habits, including 'little changes' to her lifestyle, such as embracing ageing rather than fearing it'It's no secret that for many, getting older will come with its complications – specifically there will likely be aches and pains along the way, getting out and about and living as independently as we're used to in our younger years may not be as easy to do.'More recently, Helen said the secret to ageing well is enjoying every part of it. In an interview with Allure, the actress said she finds 'everything' about being 80 fabulous.She said: 'F**k it, I'm alive and I'm working and I can drink a glass of wine and I can wear makeup and I can listen to music and I can watch a beautiful sunset and I can go to the theater and I can watch a movie and I can binge Netflix and I can live life. 'It's a beautiful thing.'Elsewhere, Helen recalled the hilarious moment the late Queen Elizabeth introduced her to a sheikh as 'the person who played her in a film', only for him to have no idea who she was.The acclaimed actress famously won an Oscar in 2007 for her portrayal of the late monarch in the film The Queen, and has now recalled getting a rare opportunity to enjoy tea with Her Majesty in 2018.Helen revealed she was stunned when the Queen introduced her to a sheikh given she had never spoken publicly about her playing her in the film. Elsewhere, Helen recalled the hilarious moment the late Queen Elizabeth introduced her to a sheikh as 'the person who played her in a film,' only for him to have no idea who she was The actress won an Oscar for her portrayal of the late monarch in the film The Queen, and has now recalled getting a rare opportunity to enjoy tea with Her Majesty (pictured in 2022)The MobLand star was invited to enjoy tea with The Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh while attending Ascot.She said: 'It was very funny because they were all talking about horses, and I know nothing about horses, I'm not a horsey person.'So I had really nothing to contribute to the conversation. She introduced me to the Sheikh of somewhere, as saying ''this is Dame Helen Mirren, she played me you know, in the film.'''And the Sheikh, the Sheikh looked completely like he had no idea, didn't know about the film, no idea who I was, he looked completely confused.'Speaking on the TODAY show, Helen also confessed that she suffered a mishap while having her tea with the Queen, as she couldn't remember how to address Prince Philip, when she wanted to ask him to pass the milk.She said: 'I've got my tea, someone's poured me an extra cup of tea, but I like milk in my tea, and the milk jug is on the other side of Prince Philip. And I'm thinking ''how do I get the milk'''And I just could not remember how to - address Prince Philip? Do I call him sir, is it your majesty, your royal highness?'I thought maybe I should ask for a serving person? In the end I just gave up and had it without milk because I couldn't deal with the situation.'Helen previously paid tribute to The Queen following her death in 2022, speaking as she remembered her as the nation's 'leading star', at the 2023 Bafta Film Awards.She said: 'BAFTA's relationship with Her Majesty was longstanding and BAFTA would not be what it is today without her loyal support.'