Olympics: Queen 'Bonds' with Craig at opening ceremony

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 27: A performer in the role of Queen Elizabeth II and James Bond parachutes out of a helicopter hovering above the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on July 27, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

London, July 28 (IANS) It was a rare occasion when Queen Elizabeth II played a cameo with James Bond actor Daniel Craig in a surreal film that awed spectators at the Olympic Park during the colourful opening ceremony of the 2012 London Games here Friday.

It was a rare informal appearance for the queen that drew huge cheers from the crowd. It was a master stroke by British director Danny Boyle, who conceptualised the opening ceremony.

A film showed James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, visiting Buckingham Palace to see the queen.

Bond had come to escort the queen to the Olympic Park via a helicopter.

Cut to the stadium, a body double of the queen jumped from a helicopter and floated down with a Union Jack parachute.

The spotlight then turned to the central dias where the queen was escorted by Prince Phillip and was welcomed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, British Prime Minister David Cameron, his wife Samantha Cameron and other members of the audience applauded as the queen took her seat.