The world saw a livelier side of the monarch when she made an appearance at Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony for the Olympics.
In the comedy sketch, Craig, who played British spy 007, called Buckingham Palace to invite the Queen to the event.
Looking back: James Bond star Daniel Craig described filming a scene with the Queen for London in 2012 as ‘an incredible thing’
The Queen, sitting at her desk, kept him waiting before greeting him with the words, “Good evening, Mr. Bond.”
They walked together, along with some of her corgis, to a helicopter and set off, flying over London towards the Olympic Stadium, finishing with a stunt of the Queen parachuting into the arena.
Seconds later, the real Queen, wearing the same peachy dress as the stunt double, entered the court with excitement.
Reflecting on his time filming with the Queen, Craig, 54, told the BBC at the Toronto International Film Festival: “What an incredible thing. We will never see her like again.
“Being alive during her reign is something else. (I’m) very sad, so I guess good luck to Charles, really.”
Old days: The world saw a more inspirational side of the monarch when she appeared at Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony for the Olympics (pictured)
Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who co-wrote the Queen’s TV appearances with Paddington Bear and Daniel Craig, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Friday that the Queen had volunteered for the Bond scene.
He said: “We went to the Palace asking for permission to represent her and find out what she was wearing on the day, and it was her amazing dresser who said, ‘No, no, she wants to be in.’ It was game and she was ready for it.
“Actually, on the day we were shooting, he asked Danny Boyle if he could have a line because there wasn’t a line in the script, probably because when I was typing the script I didn’t know how you would type the character of the Queen… what would you write? ».
Beautiful memories: The actor reflects on his stage during a red carpet appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada on Saturday (pictured)
Craig was at the Toronto International Film Festival for the world premiere of Glass Onion, the sequel to his hit Knives Out.
Before her death during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the US on Wednesday, the former James Bond actress looked back on their meeting as she told the host how it was in private.
Wanting to know what the monarch was like behind closed doors, Stephen, 58, asked: “I understand you may not be able to answer that question, but I’m going to ask anyway: What’s it like in private?”
Recalling their time together, Craig – who appeared in the now famous Olympics opening ceremony sketch with the Queen a decade ago – replied: ‘Very funny. Very funny’
‘[She] wants to make a joke, and [she] he made a joke about me. We were taking our pictures and he just said, “Oh no, that’s the one not smiling. Fair enough!’
Memory: Craig recalled the joke the Queen made about him when they met during the 2012 Olympics skit, with the star hailing her as “very funny”.
She went on to describe what her favorite corgis were like, recalling how he enjoyed playing with the “friendly” dogs.
Craig explained: “I was rolling on the floor with them most of the time. I think they have their own pedestrians, they are very friendly.’
The actor and Her Majesty filmed a hilarious scene for the opening ceremony, with 007 accompanying the royal Bond girl in a helicopter.’
So sad: The country’s longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died ‘peacefully’, aged 96, in Balmoral, Scotland on Thursday
Chat: Before her death during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the US on Wednesday, Craig looked back on their meeting
Funny: “We were taking our pictures and she just said, ‘Oh no, that’s the one not smiling.’ Fair enough!” (pictured with the Queen at the premiere of Casino Royale in 2006)
Speaking about the sketch in 2012, he said: “It wasn’t supposed to be funny. It was supposed to be serious.
“She was fun, incredibly game. We had a bit of time and I was a bit grumpy as it was my day off and suddenly I’m at the Palace with the Queen in her private chamber.’
“And he improvises a bit. He was supposed to be sitting at the desk and asked her if she could write, so she pretended to write.’
Four-legged pals: Craig went on to describe what her beloved corgis were like (pictured), recalling how he loved playing with the ‘friendly’ dogs
After recalling his interaction with the Queen, Craig shared a moving tribute to her following her death.
In a statement to the PA news agency, the 007 actor paid tribute to the former monarch.
He wrote: “I, like so many, am deeply saddened by the news today and my thoughts are with the Royal Family, those she loved and all those who loved her.
“She leaves an incomparable legacy and will be deeply missed.”
Rest in peace: It comes as Britain today mourns the death of its beloved monarch, Queen Elizabeth II
Announcement: Buckingham Palace announced the sad news of the Queen’s death on Thursday
