It’s that time of year again, when Queen Elizabeth II bestows her New Year’s Honours to a slate of notable persons she deems worthy. Surprisingly enough, after No Time To Die, Daniel Craig is getting an honor worthy of 007. But what’s even more impressive is another beloved entertainment figure in the UK is also being honored, and she too has a past in the history of the Bond franchise.
The Honor Being Bestowed Upon Daniel Craig
Ahead of the full list of the Queen’s New Year’s Honours being released later this week, the Daily Mail reported that Mr. Craig is being awarded the Order of St. Michael and St. George. The reason this honor is so surprising is the fact that it’s not only a rare title to be bestowed, it’s also reserved for diplomats and spies of a certain distinction. Awarded “at the monarch’s pleasure,” the official description of this honor reads as follows:
The Order of St Michael and St George is awarded to men and women of high office, or who render extraordinary or important non-military service in a foreign country. It can also be conferred for important or loyal service in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs.
Seeing as this award is purely given at Queen Elizabeth II’s discretion, Daniel Craig’s recently wrapped role as James Bond apparently fits the criteria above. Though it’s not the first honor that Craig has seen himself score in the wake of No Time To Die’s box office success. Let’s not forget that earlier this fall, he was also made an honorary officer of the Royal Navy, fittingly with the rank of Commander - much like 007 himself.
While he may not be an official diplomat, Daniel Craig's meteoric tenure as James Bond could be seen as a sort of "important or loyal service" to the British crown. Commander Bond, and Honorary Commander Craig, have both in their own way brought honor and attention to the country they serve. And reading further along in the report of this year's honors, another James Bond star has also done just that.
Another James Bond Legend Is Being Honored By The Queen
Also being reported as present on the list of the Queen’s New Year’s Honours is actor Joanna Lumley; best known for her role in the long running britcom hit Absolutely Fabulous, as well as parts in films like The Wolf of Wall Street and Paddington 2. However, she too was a part of James Bond history, as Ms. Lumley was one of Blofeld’s Angels of Death in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Being awarded the Order of the British Empire for the second time, Lumley will now be known as Dame Joanna in 2022.
This time, the honors have been awarded to Dame Joanna, as recognition of her service and activism in the Gurkha Justice Campaign. “A campaign to provide all Nepalese origin Gurkha veterans who served in the British Army before 1997 the right to settle in Britain,” Lumley has been working on behalf of this cause for almost two decades. One of several humanitarian causes that she’s spoken out in support of, this is the effort that’s landed Joanna Lumley another well deserved honor.
The full list of the Queen’s New Year’s Honours is expected to be released on New Year’s Eve, and it’ll be even more thrilling to see who else joins Daniel Craig and Joanne Lumley in this year’s class of honorees. No Time To Die is available for Bond fans to enjoy, both to rent and to own on digital and physical media. While the search for the next 007 has yet to take off, the pressure of the eventual heir to that mantle may have just become a little more intense.
