Catherine Zeta-Jones reveals heartache after loss of 'a real family member'
Catherine Zeta-Jones said she felt like she "lost a real family member" following the death of the Queen, in an emotional tribute.
MORE: Catherine Zeta-Jones shares the sweetest video alongside her family in rare update
The Welsh actress spoke to reporters at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, and said that the news had made her feel "homesick" but also "proud of my heritage".
WATCH: Catherine Zeta-Jones' surprise leaves son in tears
"I’m a big royalist and I love the royal family and what they do for our country," she told the PA news agency. "As a girl growing up in Wales, in Britain, in the UK, I had my mum who was the strongest, safest person to be with but I also had a queen."
The Wednesday star continued: "And I don't just mean that she was a queen sitting on a throne, we're at Disney where queens and princesses are the topic du jour, but a woman who was a real inspiration.
MORE: How is the US paying tribute to the Queen?
"I'm in a country that has never had a woman as a figure of leadership, of power and of respect, and so I shall miss her dearly."
Catherine Zeta-Jones revealed her heartache at the Queen's death
Catherine also revealed she immediately called her family in Wales when she heard the news, as she felt "a little piece of me had gone".
STORY: The Queen's promise she kept until her death
"I kept calling my mother on FaceTime and going 'do you feel how I feel?' and they said 'yeah'. I don’t know whether it’s because I'm British but I just felt like a little piece of me had gone. There will never be a queen in my lifetime again, but it was a very strange feeling. (I felt) very homesick, very proud of my heritage."
The actress said King Charles III will do an exceptional job
However, the 52-year-old shared her approval for the new sovereign, King Charles III, who she believes will do "an exceptional job".
Catherine had also posted a heartfelt tribute to the Queen on Instagram when the news of her passing was first announced. "Dearest HRH Queen Elizabeth, you have been and always will be close to my humble heart as it breaks today," she wrote. "Our nation salutes you. Thank you. God Bless The Queen. Long Live The King."
Read more HELLO! US stories here
