Helen Mirren has no regrets about not having children, believing it simply wasn’t her destiny—regardless of what others may think. As a role model for aging with confidence, she embraces the advantages of growing older rather than longing for youth.
Balancing her complex feelings about the word “beauty” with her love of makeup—used purely for self-expression rather than to please others—Mirren has created unforgettable looks over the years. She remains an undeniable style icon.
Throughout her life, Helen has unapologetically followed her own path, including her firm decision not to have children. While many women face societal pressure and questions about their choice to be child-free, Mirren has always been open about her reasons.
“I never felt the need to have a child and never experienced a sense of loss over it. My work has always been my priority,” she stated. She describes feeling “great relief” that motherhood never became part of her life.
Though she once briefly questioned her decision while watching Parenthood, a film starring Steve Martin and Mary Steenburgen, the uncertainty faded within 20 minutes, reaffirming her conviction. “It wasn’t my destiny,” she admits. “I kept thinking it might happen, but it never did—and I never really cared what people thought.”
For Mirren, legacy isn’t about having children but about personal achievements. She concludes, “I can watch films of Ingrid Bergman or Katharine Hepburn and say, ‘She was brilliant!’ That’s what I want people to say about me.”
