Daniel Craig Receives His Royal Honor from Princess Anne: 'We've Been Expecting You'

Daniel Craignow has another thing in common with James Bond.

With a thoughtful and poignant nod to his screen character, the lateQueen Elizabethmade Craig aCompanion of the Order of St. Michael and St. Georgein January — just like the fictional spy.

On Tuesday, the British star, 54, received his honor from the Queen’s daughter,Princess Anne, at an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle. The royal family’s official social media pages used a famous phrase from the Bond movies as they shared a photo of Craig’s appearance at the castle: “We’ve been expecting you,” they cheekily captioned the photo.

Craig received the award for his services to film and theater as part ofQueen Elizabeth’s annual New Year’s honors list. He made his debut as the spy in 2006’sCasino Royaleand played Bond for the last time inNo Time To Die, whichpremiered in September 2021.

Princess Anne and Daniel Craig.Alamy Stock Photo

Around the same time as the movie release, Craig was named ​​anhonorary officer of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. With that appointment, Craig also followed in the footsteps of Bond, who is a Royal Navy commander in the series.

In 2012, Craig memorably starred alongsideQueen Elizabethin a clip that aired during the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics in London. After Craig’s character was summoned to Buckingham Palace, he escorted her out along the corridors (with corgis scurrying around their feet!) before stunt actors playing the pair helicoptered across London and parachuted into the Olympics venue.

In 2019, the Queen’s assistant Angela Kelly revealed in her bookThe Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobehow she helped present the idea from director Danny Boyle to the monarch. Kelly said she asked Boyle and the Queen’s private secretary Edward Young “to give me five minutes so that I could ask the Queen,” Kelly wrote, as featured inHello!magazine. “I remember the look of shock on Danny’s face that I would be asking Her Majesty straight away, but there’s no point in waiting around with these things: if she said no, that would be the end of it.”

“I asked then if she would like a speaking part,” Kelly recalled. “Without hesitation, Her Majesty replied: ‘Of course, I must say something. After all, he is coming to rescue me.’ "

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our newsletterto get the latest updates onKate Middleton,Meghan Markleand more!

Queen Elizabeth and Daniel Craig.Pool Photograph/Corbis/Getty

Last week, Princess Anne, 72, hosted thefirst group investiture ceremonysinceQueen Elizabethdied on Sept. 8. During investiture ceremonies, a centuries-old tradition, members of the royal family present medals to those who have been awarded honors.

Prince Williamalso hostedhis first investiture ceremonyas the Prince of Wales last week, welcoming Vanessa Redgrave as she was made a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, the female equivalent of a knight.

“You don’t compare going for an investiture at Buckingham Palace with any other achievement, whatever it is. It is unique,” Redgravetold the PA news agencyof the award.

source: people.com