- Obtained her qualification for the 2012 Olympics through that method.
Post Queen Elizabeth II's (1926-2022) demise, a book titled "A Journey Among Queens" by Craig Brown is scheduled for release on October 1, 2024. The British "Daily Mail" has already leaked excerpts, revealing intriguing stories from the Queen's life, such as her unexpected appearance at the 2012 London Olympic Games opening ceremony alongside Daniel Craig (56), famously known as James Bond. In a staged scene, the monarch surprised everyone by participating in a helicopter jump, although it was her stunt double who actually jumped.
The Queen greenlit the plan under specific terms
According to reports, director Danny Boyle (67) met with the Queen at Buckingham Palace before filming the ceremony. Famous for his work on "Trainspotting" and "Slumdog Millionaire", Boyle led both the ceremony and the clip featuring the Queen. During their meeting, Boyle and his team consulted with Angela Kelly, the Queen's personal dressmaker, about what the stunt double should wear.
Angela Kelly then proposed a suggestion to her superior. Would the Queen herself partake in the spectacle? To everyone's surprise, the Queen agreed, but only under one condition. She wanted to utter the line, "Good evening, Mr. Bond" in the film, a request that was granted. In the clip, she can be seen dressed in a vibrant pink ensemble.
The movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" sparked the Queen's stunt idea
Craig Brown's book also sheds light on the Bond film that inspired the Queen's helicopter stunt. It wasn't any film featuring Daniel Craig (56) but rather the 1977 film "The Spy Who Loved Me" starring Roger Moore (1927-2017). In that movie, Moore's 007 plummets off a cliff and releases a parachute adorned with the Union Jack's colors. The Olympic video's Queen and Bond's rescue parachutes were inspired by the same design.
In an interesting turn of events, the clip featuring Daniel Craig isn't the only time the Queen shared the screen with a renowned British figure. At her 70th jubilee celebration in 2022, she was seen chatting with Paddington Bear, the beloved children's book character. In a heartwarming video, the Queen shared her fondness for marmalade sandwiches with Paddington, a bond that resonated with viewers worldwide.
I'm not expected to participate in the stunt during the Olympic opening ceremony, as it will be my stunt double jumping from the helicopter. Despite this, I'm not going to shy away from uttering the line, "Good evening, Mr. Bond," as I requested.
