Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II remained faithful to the monarchy of her forefathers throughout her life. Hereditary head of the state, she was non-electable and maintained stoicism in her duties. It is easy to mistake this quiet fortitude for being aloof due to the tremendous amount of change that she has experienced in her 70-year tenure, not least because entertainment and popular culture have advanced rapidly. CNN reports that the queen was a comedian and loved all media, including TV and movies.
The monarch attended the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. The ceremony was directed by Danny Boyle, a well-known British filmmaker. He also directed a short film, in which Daniel Craig played James Bond. Bond visits Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, and then takes her to the Olympics. It was shocking for everyone and surprising to many that she had a part in the film.
Queen Elizabeth kept James Bond’s appearance secretive from the rest the royal family
Undoubtedly, it was a surprise for those who saw the film that Queen Elizabeth II took part as a guest in a minimovie starring Daniel Craig playing James Bond. The queen was only known through photographs, news footage, occasional documentaries and occasionally documentary videos. Even though she kept the mystery of “Happy and Glorious” intact, her leaping from a helicopter to land at London’s Olympic Stadium was an example of British cheekiness. It’s no surprise that Britons voted the clip the best moment in U.K. television history, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film’s crew spoke out about the experience to BBC staff in a retrospective celebrating the tenth anniversary (via The Wrap). Sam Hunter, the stage manager for production, stated that “the queen never told her families she was doing it.” It was one of the conditions, and she agreed to participate in it. If you are able to see her when she arrives and takes her seat, her family will be able to say, “Ah, nice one.” Stephen Daldry, executive producer, shared that the secretiveness she requested meant that some members of Prime Minister David Cameron’s cabinet had to be kept in the dark. He said, “It was difficult because you didn’t want to tell the Cabinet much because you didn’t know how secure they might be.”
