Daniel Craig Remembers a Time When Queen Elizabeth “Cracked a Joke About Me”: ‘Very Funny,’ she says.

When Queen Elizabeth made Daniel Craig the butt of a joke, he was a good sport.

The actor, 53, spoke on The Late Show on Wednesday night, telling host Stephen Colbert about his last role as James Bond in the Oscar-nominated film No Time to Die. At one point, Colbert inquired about the star’s participation in the sketch with the Queen, which aired during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012.

“I realise you might not be able to answer this question, but I’ll ask anyway: What’s she like in private?” Craig, he inquired.

According to the actor, “Very amusing. Wants to make a joke, so he makes a joke about me. We’re having our pictures taken when she says, ‘Oh no, he’s the one that doesn’t grin.’ That’s fine!”

Craig also admitted to “rolling around on the floor” with her pet corgis. “They’re really nice,” he said.

Danny Boyle directed the Craig and the Queen sketch from 2012. It’s a satire of renowned British spy flicks, and Craig’s character picks up the Queen from Buckingham Palace, with stunt actors depicting them being helicoptered over London and parachuted into the Olympic stadium. Queen Elizabeth then came on the steps of the VIP seats, to applause, for her spectacular entry at the Olympics.

Angela Kelly, the Queen’s dresser and confidante, revealed the storey of the memorable incident in her book The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser, and the Wardrobe in 2019.

Kelly was one of the first to hear the concept during a meeting with Boyle and Private Secretary Edward Young in 2011 — and even pitched the idea straight to the Queen.

“After hearing Danny’s plan,” Kelly writes, “I begged him and Edward to grant me five minutes so that I could ask the Queen.” “I remember Danny’s surprise that I would ask Her Majesty right quickly, but there’s no point in hanging around with these things: if she answered no, that was the end of it.”

Despite the fact that the Queen “was immensely amused by the notion and consented immediately,” she wanted her participation to be more than just a show.

“I asked her if she wanted a speaking part at the time,” Kelly remembered. “‘Of course I must say something,’ Her Majesty said without hesitation. After all, he is on his way to save me.'”

She continued, “I asked if she wanted to say ‘Good evening, James,’ or ‘Good evening, Mr. Bond,’ and she selected the latter, having seen the Bond movies. Within minutes, I was back in Edward’s office, telling Danny the good news — I remember he practically fell off his chair when I told him that the Queen’s sole requirement was that she deliver that legendary line.”

Also Read

During a royal engagement, Queen Elizabeth joked that she “can’t move.”

According to Reuters, Britain's Queen Elizabeth joked to members of the royal...