Helen Mirren spotted riding the NYC subway in purple gloves

NEW YORK, Feb. 1 (UPI) — A New York City commuter spotted an elegantly attired Oscar winner on the subway’s R train last Thursday.

Instagram user Jason Lowe couldn’t believe it when he saw Dame Helen Mirren, clad in a fur-collared coat and purple gloves, sitting across the aisle from him somewhere underneath Times Square.

In the photo, the 69-year-old actress, who won an Oscar for her 2006 portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, looks demurely away from the man seated next to her.

“Well, that just happened | Dame Helen Mirren sitting across from me on the R train #helenmirren #subway #holycrap #NYC,” Lowe captioned the snap, which went viral over the weekend.

Well, that just happened | Dame Helen Mirren sitting across from me on the R train #helenmirren #subway #holycrap #NYC A photo posted by JL (@j_l_nyc) on Jan 30, 2015 at 2:23pm PST