The Prince of Wales has reportedly been invited to star in the upcoming James Bond film, following in the footsteps of his mother, the Queen. According to The Sun on Sunday, Prince Charles has been asked to appear in the as-yet-untitled Bond 25 movie, with producers said to believe he is "the epitome of everything British" and that his involvement would generate significant buzz.
The approach follows a visit by the 70-year-old prince to Pinewood Studios in June, where he was given a tour by Daniel Craig, who plays 007. During the visit, which celebrated the franchise's contribution to the British film industry, Craig showed the prince one of eight DB5s built especially for the new film. Posing with the classic car and a 1980s Aston Martin Vantage, Charles joked: "The cars are the interesting thing here, much more interesting."
Producer Barbara Broccoli said the pair bonded over their shared love of Aston Martins, adding: "He had a lot to talk about with Daniel. They both have a love for Aston Martin… Boys with toys!" Charles, who is patron of the British Film Institute and royal patron of the Intelligence Services, also met crew members in MI6 headquarters, including costume designer Suttirat Larlarb. She later recalled: "He was commenting on how many costumes we make, which must go through all kinds of action, and what a big job it must be. I agreed wholeheartedly!"
If Prince Charles does take on a cameo, he will echo the Queen's famous appearance with Daniel Craig in the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. In that scene, Bond arrived at Buckingham Palace to escort Her Majesty to the Olympic Park, with a skydiving stunt double used for the Queen. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said at the time that she was "very happy" to take part and "delighted to be asked to be involved in something so exceptional".
The producers have yet to confirm whether Prince Charles has agreed to the cameo, but the report suggests discussions are ongoing.
