(Above: Her Majesty attends the London opening of "West Side Story" in 1962. The title of the film is never mentioned because the Queen could not be seen as making a commercial endorsement.)
By Lee Pfeiffer
Queen Elizabeth was known to be an avid movie fan who looked forward to attending royal premieres. These were generally held at the famed Odeon Theatre in Leicester Square, London. However, she also attended the premiere of the first motion picture to be shown at the Royal Albert Hall, "Die Another Day", which marked the 40th anniversary of the James Bond franchise in 2002. Her Majesty had seen every Bond film, but supposedly favored the earlier ones because they weren't "as loud" as the more recent entries. Indeed, she even participated in that surrealistic 007-themed sketch that was seen as the opener of the London Olympics, "co-starring" with Daniel Craig. On occasion, Her Majesty would also visit film sets, much to the delight of cast and crew.
The Queen's appeal was universal. I'm an American but I felt a connection to her, possibly more than most of my countrymen because I've spent so much time in England since the mid-1990s. In 2002, her attendance at the Royal Premiere for "Die Another Day" and later, "Casino Royale" in 2006, reminded me that no one does opulent and impressive events as well as the Brits. The premieres are always very special occasions with tuxedos and gowns mandatory as a dress code. But when Her Majesty was in attendance, it was all the more special. Audiences have to be seated a full hour before her arrival- no exceptions. When Her Majesty arrived, it was telecast on the big screen so that the audience could enjoy seeing her being introduced to the cast and crew by the producers. When she entered the auditorium, Royal trumpeters took to the stage in their traditional regalia to announce the Queen had entered the auditorium. It was always a moving and unforgettable moment. Her presence was enough to lure Lord Richard Attenborough to the stage before the premiere of "Casino Royale". Pure movie magic made all the more special by the Queen's attendance.
Her Majesty greets actress Diane Cilento and husband Sean Connery at the 1967 premiere of "You Only Live Twice".
The Queen's taste for popular culture was well-known and wasn't restricted to upper-crust fare. In his autobiography, Dick Van Dyke recalls attending the premiere of "You Only Live Twice" and being introduced to her by producer Cubby Broccoli as she made her way down the line of dignitaries and engaged in a few seconds of small talk with each person. Van Dyke was shocked when she told him how much she and her family had always enjoyed watching his weekly TV sitcom. Thus, in the end, she was a woman of privilege and vast wealth- but she never lost her touch when it came to relating to people from all aspects of society. In that sense, she belonged to everyone and that is why everyone today is sincerely mourning her passing.