Clarie Foy wins first Emmy for The Crown, dedicates it to show's 'next cast'

Long live the queen.

The Crown‘s Claire Foy won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama on Monday night. This was Foy’s second nomination and first win for playing Queen Elizabeth II on the Netflix royal family drama.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” said Foy when she took the stage to accept her award. “I just felt so proud, then, of being in the company of such extraordinary performances. I know everyone’s talking at the moment about women in the industry, but if that’s anything to go by, bloody hell. That’s technically not swearing! But Sandra Oh, I just love ya…”

She continued: “Listen, thank you, Emmys. I had the most extraordinary two and a half years of my life…I was given a role that I never thought I would ever get a chance to play, and I met people I will love forever and ever and ever, and the show goes on, which makes me so, so proud. So, I dedicate this to the next cast, the next generation, and I also a dedicate this to Matt Smith.”

Season 2 was Foy’s final year as the English monarch because Olivia Colman will take over the role in the third season. Although she knew the end was coming, she still had a hard time saying goodbye to the character. “It was surreal,” she told EW in December. “It’s very difficult to prepare yourself for that moment. Ultimately what you end up feeling is just sort of confused and that you need to go home and have a lie-down, really.”

Foy — who previously won two SAG Awards and a Golden Globe for playing the Queen — beat out The Handmaid’s Tale‘s Elisabeth Moss, The Americans‘ Keri Russell, Westworld‘s Evan Rachel Wood, Killing Eve‘s Sandra Oh, and Orphan Black‘s Tatiana Maslany.