United Kingdom, July 8 -- Gemma Whelan's mother drowned on holiday last year.

The Game of Thrones actress - who is best known for playing Yara Greyjoy in the HBO fantasy drama series - opened up about the tragedy as she reflected on her grief a year on from the "catastrophic shock" of losing her beloved mum Sue.

She wrote on Instagram: "It has been a year since we had the catastrophic shock that our brilliant bright mum had drowned abroad.

"There's such a big hole in me now, but most people wouldn't know, and while I place this carefully here, my intention is really to address the profound solitude and loneliness of a sudden tragic shocking death, where quite rightly and happily many people do not experience it and therefore can't rela...