Dame Helen Mirren has paid her own special tribute to pop star Prince, who died last month, attending the annual White House correspondents' dinner dressed in a purple dress and sporting a temporary purple tattoo.

The actress, one of a number of celebrities to attend the function, had a temporary tattoo of Prince's well-known "love symbol" just below her collar bone.

Mirren told the Washington Post, the symbol was hand-drawn.

"I'd love to say that Prince himself did it in 1988 or something, instead of me in the bathroom this morning," the paper quoted her as saying.

Prince died suddenly aged 57 on April 21, after collapsing in a lift at his Paisley Park estate.

Mirren received a special mention from President Barack Obama during his speech at the dinner, where traditionally the US president jokes with the Washington press corps.

"Helen Mirren is here tonight," Obama said.

"I don't even have a joke here, I just think Helen Mirren is awesome. She's awesome."