Bond in Her Majesty’s service

The Queen as “Bond girl”?

Well, not quite. But she couldn’t say “no” when Britain’s most famous fictional spy came calling to invite her for a helicopter ride and then a night out at the Olympic Park.

The dramatic manner of the Queen’s arrival at the opening of the London Games on Friday evening — moments after she is seen giving a thumbs-up to Bond and jumping out of the helicopter — had the 80,000-strong crowd in raptures and asking for encore. But, of course, Her Majesty doesn’t do encores.

The film, “Happy and Glorious”, was one of the best kept secrets of filmmaker Danny Boyle’s inaugural package. It was nearly blown when The Sun carried a photograph of it. But since it was published on April 1, readers dismissed as an “April Fools” joke.

It opens with Bond, played by Daniel Crag, arriving at Buckingham Palace in a black London cab and being shown by a palace flunkey into the Queen’s study where she is poring over some papers.

She turns and says, “Good evening, Mr Bond”.

“Evening. Your Majesty,” replies Bond stiffly.

The pair then walk through the Palace, followed by the Queen’s Corgis, and board the helicopter waiting for them outside. The helicopter flies over some of London’s famous landmarks before arriving at the Olympic stadium. As it hovers over the stadium, the Queen jumps out in a parachute and — minutes later — appears at the opening ceremony with her husband.

The bit where the Queen “jumps” out of the place was played by a stuntman, but for the rest she plays herself in what has been described her as first “acting role”.

Mr. Boyle hailed her as a “natural actor”.

“She knew exactly what to do,” he said.