The Queen paid tribute to The Archers actress June Spencer following her death, saying she will be “sorely missed”.

Spencer, who became famous for his role in the long-running BBC Radio 4 soap, has died aged 105, his family said on Friday.

She played Peggy Woolley in the first episode of The Archers in 1951, and apart from taking a break from the show, she played the role until her retirement in 2022 at the age of 103.

A statement published by BBC She said: “June Spencer, 105, best known for her role as Peggy in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers, died peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of this morning.

“His family would especially like to thank the staff at Liberham Lodge who have looked after him so lovingly over the last two years.”

Among Spencer’s many fans was Camilla, who invited the actress and her co-stars to Clarence House for the show’s 70th anniversary celebrations in 2021.

Camilla also made a cameo appearance as herself in a special episode of the show.

“For over 70 years June Spencer was a much-loved part of so many people’s lives, and in Peggy Woolley she brilliantly combined the roles of reassuring matriarch and ‘gangsta granny’,” the Queen said in a statement. he said.

“We will miss him greatly and I offer my sincerest condolences to his family.”

The character of Peggy, the show’s matriarch, started out as a left-wing firebrand, but over the years she has often come to be seen as traditionalist and conservative.

His on-air storylines saw his character dealing with alcoholism, gambling and death.

The rural drama, with its well-known cheerful theme tune, chronicles the ups and downs of farming life in fictional Ambridge.

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Jeremy Howe, editor of The Archers, said working with him was “one of the great privileges of my time at the BBC”, adding that he was a “wonderful actor” as well as his role as “Ambridge’s greatest patriarch”.

He also said: “One of the actors once said that he had only heard her say her lines once during her time on the show.

“He was an actor who enjoyed his craft, someone who could hit the bullseye with a slightly contemptuous cough, as if it were an Oscar Wilde joke.

“He was also a great company member – funny, sharp, warm, never a gossip but with great stories about the early days of radio drama, a self-deprecating person and a great friend.”

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Mr Howe also hailed her as the show’s “queen” and said, “With her death, The Archers has lost touch with the show’s birth 70 years ago.”

“This is a shameful moment for all of us,” he added.

Spencer was one of the original cast, but left in 1953 and was replaced by Thelma Rogers.

She returned to the series from time to time to portray other characters in the 1950s, then reprized the role of Peggy in 1961, continuing until her retirement in 2022.