Queen volunteered to appear in James Bond Olympics sketch

Danny Boyle, who was the mastermind behind last year's London Games opening ceremony, has revealed he did not actually ask the Queen to appear in his James Bond sketch but she volunteered.

The Queen's pretend parachute jump was one of the ceremony's highlights and TV viewers around the world were surprised to see the Queen appearing alongside Daniel Craig in the spoof sequence during the celebrations last summer, prior to her arrival in the Olympic Stadium, the Sky News reports.

In an interview with ITV's Jonathan Ross Show to be screened on Saturday night, Boyle, the creative director of the London 2012 opening ceremony, pointed out he had originally envisaged a look alike taking part in the skit.

Boyle said it was part of the protocol, you have to bring in the Head of State and sing the National Anthem, and they thought they would something different so they wrote up this idea of the James Bond idea.

Boyle added his team sent it in to them, and his team was asking really for permission for them to accept that it wouldn't embarrass them.

The Slumdog Millionaire director added they decided to get a double of the Queen, a good double, and they thought about Helen Mirren.

Boyle added representatives from the Buckingham Palace came back and said they were delighted for them to do it, and Her Majesty would like to be in it herself and the surreal thing, the Queen would like to play herself.

The Oscar-winning director said the Queen told him 'what do you want me to do?', and he told her and she said fine.

Boyle added so they we got in and they started doing it and then the Queen said 'don't you think I should say something?' and he replied 'yes, OK, what do you suggest?

Boyle further revealed the Queen said 'I'll do something' and we started shooting and she turned round and she said her lines beautifully.