"My country awarded him The King's Medal. Yes, I know, but other people died for it..."

How the tables have turned. In 2005, it seemed everyone was out to get Daniel Craig. Too short. Too ugly. Can't drive a manual car. Blonde, not Bond.

He helped give the James Bond series a new lease of life after it had lost all credibility with Die Another Day. And since 2006, it appears he's everyone's blue-eyed boy — even the Royal Family's.

Anne, Princess Royal, awarded him the same royal honour held by Ian Fleming's James Bond: the Order of St Michael and St George.

A tweet from the Palace acknowledged his "outstanding contribution to film and theatre".

Copyright © 2022 J W Emery Ltd. All rights reserved.