Film
Daniel Craig and Frank Cottrel-Boyce reflect on comedy sketches with the Queen
2 years ago
In the scene, Daniel Craig, as James Bond, calls at Buckingham Palace to summon the Queen to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
James Bond star Daniel Craig described filming a scene with the Queen for London 2012 as âan incredible thingâ.
The world saw a more spirited side to the monarch when she made a cameo appearance in Danny Boyleâs opening ceremony for the Olympic Games.
In the comedy sketch, Craig, who played British spy 007, called at Buckingham Palace to summon the Queen to the event.
The Queen, who was sitting at her writing desk, made him wait before greeting him with the words: âGood evening, Mr Bond.â
They walked together, along with some of her corgis, towards a helicopter and set off, flying over London to the Olympic Stadium, concluding with a stunt double of the Queen parachuting into the arena.
Seconds later, the real Queen, wearing the same peach dress as the stunt double, entered the stadium to rapturous applause.
Reflecting on his time filming with the Queen, 54-year-old Craig told the BBC at the Toronto International Film Festival: âWhat an incredible thing.
âWe will not see the likes of her ever again. To be alive during her reign is something else.â
He added: â(Iâm) very saddened, so I suppose good luck to Charles, really.â
Liverpool’s Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who co-wrote the Queenâs TV appearances with Paddington Bear and Daniel Craig, told BBC Radio 4âs Today programme on Friday that the Queen had volunteered herself for the Bond scene.
He said: âWe went to the Palace asking for permission to represent her and to know what she was wearing on the day, and it was her amazing dresser who said âNo, no, she wants to be in it.â She was game and she was up for that.
âIn fact on the day when we were filming, she asked Danny Boyle if she could have a line because there wasnât a line in the script, probably because when I was typing the script I didnât quite know how you would type the character of the Queen⌠What would you type?â
Charles, the former Prince of Wales, ascended to the throne following the death of his mother on Thursday.
He was then formally proclaimed King Charles III at a historic ceremony in St Jamesâs Palace following a meeting of the Accession Council during which he swore an oath to privy counsellors.
â Daniel Craig was at the Toronto International Film Festival at the world premiere of Glass Onion, the sequel to his hit film Knives Out.