Stars join Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate Dickens

London: Movie stars were among those who joined Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth.

The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening for a group of guests that included the writer's great-great-grandson, Mark Dickens.

The monarch greeted actors including Johnny English star Rowan Atkinson and X-Files actress Gillian Anderson.

Anderson recently played Miss Havisham in a BBC adaptation of Great Expectations.

Earlier, the royal couple attended a performance that featured scenes and best-known characters from Dickens' work.