Dame Helen Mirren has been crowned Best Actress at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

The 68-year-old actress won the prize at the glamorous event, held at the Sovoy Hotel in London, last night (17.11.13) for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the West End play 'The Audience'.

Mirren - who already has an Olivier, BAFTA and Oscar accolade under her belt for her two portrayals of the British monarch - said: ''They loved it but they were loving the Queen really they're not really loving me. It's her and that incredible history. She's the one person who's been in my life the longest apart from my sister. It's amazing to be a part of that.''

Meanwhile, Dame Maggie Smith received the Standard's Icon Award for her contribution to the world stage, while Andrew Lloyd Webber and Kevin Spacey were also presented with special awards at the ceremony.

However, the top honours went to Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear, who joint won the Best Actor prize for their performances as Shakespeare's Othello and Lago at the National Theatre in London.

Evening Standard Editor Sarah Sands said: ''We, like the rest of the world, have been dazzled by the talent on show. It feels important for London's paper to celebrate this significant sector that spills over into other areas of cultural life.''