THE daughter of late actress Dame Diana Rigg has admitted to an unusual tribute of eating her ashes prior to live shows.

Rachael Stirling, 49, followed in her acclaimed mother’s footsteps by becoming an actress.

Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling at the Macmillan Cancer Support Guards' Chapel Christmas Carol Concert.Diana Rigg’s daughter has revealed an unusual tribute to her late mother Credit: Getty Rachael Stirling smiles while wearing a dark blue jumpsuit and a necklace.Rachael Stirling followed in her mother’s footsteps by also becoming an actress Credit: Steve Meddle

Viewers may have seen Rachael pop up in shows including The Bletchley Circle, Detectorists and an episode of alongside Diana.

In her new book, All About My Mother, Rachael opened up about a surprising pre-show ritual.

She wrote, as quoted by Daily Mail : “I would love to have a nightly glass of champagne before going on stage, but these days it would equate to a drinking problem.”

Rachael’s alternative on a new play’s opening night, however, is “a grain or two of my mother’s ashes“.

Actress Diana Rigg posing for a portrait.Diana died in September 2020, aged 82 Credit: AFP Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling smiling at an after-party.Rachael admitted to eating grains of her mother’s ashes Credit: Getty

She added: “Although it shocks people when I tell them, it feels absolutely natural to me.”

Her mother Diana died in September 2020, at the age of 82 and it was later confirmed she had lung cancer.

famously played secret agent Emma Peel in 51 episodes of the Avengers in the 1960s.

She was also the only Bond girl to marry 007 – getting hitched to George Lazenby in Her Majesty’s Secret Service – only to be killed moments after.

In her later career, Diana appeared in shows such as and ‘s Victoria.

She also played Mrs Pumphrey in series one of ‘s .

Miranda star Patricia Hodge would later take over the role after Diana’s death.