For the latest in our WISE WORDS interview series – where stars from a whole range of fields share the important life lessons they’ve learned along the way – we’re posing some of the big questions to JENNA COLEMAN.

Following her roles in ‘Emmerdale’ and ‘Waterloo Road’, Jenna broke through as one of Doctor Who’s most popular ever companions Clara Oswald.

Since then, she’s taken the title role as the young Queen in the ITV drama ‘Victoria’. In her capacity as an ambassador for American Express Shop Small, she spoke to HuffPostUK about what she’s learned along the way, and why her family would never let her get away with any queenliness herself…

How do you switch off from the world?
I take a bath. Or I read. Or both at once. Sometimes I go for a long walk.

How do you deal with negativity that comes your way?
If it’s justified, I’ll have a think, I try to take it on board. Sometimes it takes a phone call to my mum to rationalise. She’ll tell me, ‘Chin up.’ I do try to learn something from it.

When and where are you at your happiest?
I love being on an aeroplane. It means I can switch off, but I also like the switching of environments. There’s something about being in the clouds.

I also like being around my school-friends in London. It brings me back to who I’ve always been. They’re very supportive of my work, but they don’t let me take myself too seriously.

What has been the best piece of advice you’ve received?
I was in Bali, and I was struggling to communicate with my taxi driver, we had a language barrier. But we ploughed on, and he was trying to explain some philosophy, and he came up with ‘Making easy.’ And I’ve always remembered it.

What has been the hardest lesson you’ve had to learn?
You can’t fix everything.

What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
Don’t worry so much; Have more faith in yourself and your instincts; Don’t try so hard to fit in.

What three things are at the top of your to-do list?
Learn the piano; Learn French; Get better at photography.

What do you think happens when we die?
After watching ‘Black Mirror’, I’d want to ask Charlie Brooker. I’d like we think we go to some special place, but maybe we just come back as grass.

When do you feel in the presence of something bigger than ourselves?
When we look at the Supermoon, or we’re anywhere where we look up and see the stars.

What quality do you most treasure in relationships?
Unconditional love, when you’re doing something for another person without expecting a reward.

What keeps you grounded?
Northern pragmatism and humour. I can just see my family’s face if I went home and tried to indulge in some queenliness a la Victoria. I wouldn’t last long.

What the most recent act of kindness you received?
I got into a cab, and I told the driver ‘I’m having such a bad day.’ And he thought I said ‘It’s my birthday’ so he proceeded to sing Happy Birthday to me, the whole song. I didn’t have the heart to stop him, and it actually cheered me up a lot.