Alfie Boe recalled dining with the “remarkable” late Queen on her 90th birthday.
The 49-year-old singer compared the experience to a meal with “your friend’s grandmother” as he spoke of his most memorable moments of his long career.
Discussing his new book Face the Music: My Story on Thursday’s episode of This Morning, Alfie revealed that he’s had many in-person dinners with the royal family.
After singing A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square at Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday in 2019, he joined her for dinner.
Alfie said, “I told her, ‘This has been a great week for me. I bought a house and now I’m going to dinner with you.’
Memories: Alfie Boe, 49, recalled dining with the ‘remarkable’ late Queen on her 90th birthday
He continued, “And she said the highlight of my week should have been buying my house and ‘how wonderful it is to own a piece of England.’
“It was like going to visit your friend’s grandmother. She was so proud of the country she ruled that she was a remarkable woman.’
Of his new memoir, he said, “It was a good platform to talk about my problems and hopefully help others.
“I started writing my own songs. When I felt down, I listened to sad songs and embraced that feeling. I just do whatever it takes to make myself feel better.
“People are ashamed and sweep it under the carpet and let it proliferate. You bring it out, address it and let it go.’
In December, Alfie revealed he had spent five weeks in rehab after overdosing after separating from his wife two years ago.
The singer said he suffered from depression after separating from his wife Sarah, whom he married in 2004 and shares children Grace and Alfred.
On an episode of the BBC reality show Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof, he said he went to a ‘really dark place’ after their divorce in August 2020.
The 49-year-old singer compared the experience to a meal with “your friend’s grandmother” as he spoke of his most memorable moments of his long career (pictured at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in 2012).
Sweet: Alfie said, “It was like visiting your friend’s grandmother. She was so proud of the country she ruled, she was a remarkable woman’
Of his new memoir, he said: ‘It was a good platform to talk about my problems and hopefully help others’
The tenor said emotionally that he spent five weeks in a rehabilitation center after overdosing, saying he spoke about it in an effort to help others.
According to the Mirror, he said, “When my divorce initially happened, I went to a very dark place. It’s weird to talk about, I haven’t talked about this publicly, but I’m willing to, if it can help someone who needs it.
“I had beaten myself up, hated myself and had no love for myself whatsoever, and it resulted in a foolish act where I popped some pills down my throat because I had lost my way.
“I ended up in a rehabilitation center for about five weeks and it was a scary time.”
The West End star, who has rarely spoken publicly about his divorce from Sarah, admitted he’s still struggling to come to terms with it, holding back tears throughout the show.
Alfie said they are still friends but added it’s “not the same” as he admitted he still misses Sarah and said the breakup still feels “raw” two years later.
MailOnline has contacted the BBC and Alfie’s representatives for comment.
Alfie and Sarah lived in their home in the Cotswolds but separated in August 2020 as their marriage fell apart after he traveled extensively for work.
Alfie confirmed the split at the time, saying in a statement to MailOnline: ‘Following speculation about the end of my marriage to Sarah, I can confirm that we have separated.
“I have nothing but love and respect for Sarah, who has been an incredible partner and wonderful mother to our two beautiful children, and everything is very amicable.”
In 2019, Alfie told MailOnline how satisfied he was with his life and how his idea of happiness was watching his children grow up.
He met Sarah, a Shakespearean actress, in 2002 after beating thousands of hopefuls to land the lead role in Baz Luhrmann’s revival of Puccini’s La Boheme in San Francisco.
Depression: In December, Alfie revealed he spent five weeks in rehab after overdosing following his divorce from wife Sarah (pictured in 2018)
They got married two years later and later welcomed their two children Grace and Alfred as they moved to England in July 2018.
Alfie, of Irish and Norwegian descent and originally from Blackpool, started his working life as an apprentice mechanic at TVR.
His habit of singing arias while cleaning the cars was noticed by an influential client who suggested that he audition for an opera company in London.
He became one of Britain’s most celebrated classical stars, landing the role of Jean Valjean for the 25th anniversary performance of Les Miserables in 2010 and singing for the Queen twice – on her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and for her 90th birthday four years later on.