British General Hospital Stars Charles Shaughnessy & Emma Samms Pay Tribute To The Queen

The London-born actress Emma Samms started playing the character Holly Sutton on "General Hospital" in 1982, quickly becoming a fan favorite after being paired with Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) at first, and then Robert Scorpio (Tristan Rogers). Samms played the role until 1985, returning periodically over the years. The last time viewers saw Holly was in 2020 when it was revealed that she was imprisoned in an undisclosed location, and believed to be dead by her friends in Port Charles (via Soap Central). Samms is returning to "GH," but it was a difficult journey as she had to deal with long COVID since filming that scene (per Deadline).

As Soaps in Depth reports, Charles Shaughnessy – who also hails from England — took over the role of Victor Cassadine from Thaao Penghlis who originated the character in 1981, returning for a brief stint in 2014. Shaughnessy started playing Victor in 2021, but has had a prolific career prior to that, acting in such shows as "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Mad Men," and "Days of Our Lives." But it was his six year run as Maxwell Sheffield on "The Nanny" with Fran Drescher that put him on the fandom map. Shaughnessy's also done extensive voiceover work on programs like "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack," "Heavy Gear: The Animated Series," and "Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated" among many others. 

Recently, after the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Samms and Shaughnessy took to social media to pay homage to the late monarch.

Emma Samms and Charles Shaughnessy, both British actors who are on "General Hospital," paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II after her recent death. Samms posted on Twitter, "The British Monarchy is undoubtedly an old fashioned institution, but the outpouring of grief, respect and personal loss that we're seeing from around the world, if nothing else, proves the value of a dutiful Monarch like our queen." The fan reaction was incredible, with one person summing up the positive responses by posting, "She was so loved, always there for the whole of our lives. It's almost like losing a member of the family."

Shaughnessy also posted on Twitter saying, "Sad and a little unnerved by the passing of this remarkable woman. The idea of monarchy is not for everyone, but, as the pillar of an ancient institution, she stood strong through a lot of turbulence and brought stability and reassurance to more than will admit it. RIP E.R." One fan responded with, "I too felt sad and out of place today with the passing of the queen, she was a driving force to be reckoned with for sure!"

Samms followed up her Twitter post with another sweet message, this time including a photo of the British flag at Windsor Castle accompanied by a rainbow. One fan wrote in response, "May she Rest In Peace. The rainbow is from her husband welcoming her home."