Actress Keira Knightley has graced the red carpet in London's Leicester Square for the world premiere of her latest costume drama The Duchess.

Wearing a shoulderless cornflower blue dress, the 23-year-old was greeted by screams and camera flashes.

In the film, she plays Georgiana Spencer, an 18th Century noblewoman who embarks on a loveless marriage.

Knightley said she was pleased by the positive reviews: "It's much Sales gloom sees M&S shares dive ...
Queen watches Trooping the Colour ...
Canadian PM apologises to aboriginals ...
Pietersen century rescues England ... better than people saying you're awful."

"It was a very exciting character to play," she added.

"I think she was an incredible woman and the fact that the film's getting good reviews is obviously really exciting."

Asked whether she had had reservations about signing up for another period drama, Knightley said: "No, not really."

"I think you've just got to go with the script and whether the character's interesting," she told BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba.

"And I thought the opportunity to work with Ralph Fiennes and Charlotte Rampling and Saul Dibb, the director, is one that I couldn't pass up.

"So I went for the corsets and the wig and just thought: 'I might as well.'"

Diana link

Knightley's real-life character endured a "lonely, vulnerable" marriage.

Her husband, the fifth Duke of Devonshire had several affairs, including one with his wife's best friend, and a love triangle developed.

Knightley has played down parallels between Georgiana and her real-life descendant, Diana, Princess of Wales.

However, publicity material has made an explicit link between the two women.

A tagline for the film reads, "there were three people in her marriage", echoing a phrase used by Diana in a 1995 television interview.

Other cast members in Leicester Square for the premiere included Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper and Charlotte Rampling.

(BBC)

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