Rosamund Pike practised her curtsy before meeting the Queen at Bond premiere
Actor Rosamund Pike has revealed her nerves before she met the Queen at the premiere of Die Another Day, and practised her curtsy.
Pike spoke about the 2002 meeting as she becomes the voice of the Duchess of Loughborough, the royal train in a special episode of Thomas & Friends.
She met the Queen after playing Miranda Frost in the Bond film, opposite Pierce Brosnan.
She said: “When we met the Queen there were so many things that could go wrong in terms of the correct way to behave.
“I know that a lot of the younger royals don’t stand on the ceremony, but I think you still want to get it right – certainly when you are meeting the Queen.
“So, I practised my curtsy, saying ma’am and when to say, ‘Your Royal Highness’ or ‘Your Majesty’.
“I have a very wonderful, treasured photo of myself, Madonna (who sang the film’s theme song) and the Queen from that meeting.
“I am sort of mid-curtsy looking slightly anxious, but I was only aged 21 and it was a very big night for me.”
Read more: Prince Harry shares love of Thomas the Tank Engine in introduction to special episode
She recently shared the picture with fans on Instagram to mark 17 years since the film was released.
Pike, 41, is the voice of the royal train in an episode of Thomas & Friends recorded to mark the 75th anniversary of the famous tank.
The episode will see Thomas try to get Fat Controller Sir Topham Hatt to Buckingham Palace to receive an honour.
Along the way, Thomas will get lost and meet the royal train.
The episode will be introduced by Prince Harry, who recalled his own fond memories of growing up with Thomas the Tank Engine.
The Gone Girl star said: “It is a beautiful and apt episode for the 75th anniversary of Thomas & Friends. It has all the key characters, some new ones and some unexpected ones.
“It puts Thomas front and centre by giving him a very noble and important challenge in which he emerges triumphant.
“There are some things that go wrong, some misunderstandings and a bit of confusion, but the message is that teamwork gets you through.”
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She added: “I was very excited to be asked to be in the 75th anniversary celebratory special.
“It was a lovely invitation to be asked to join a much-loved family and was a very easy ‘yes’.
“I also think it is fun to voice something mechanical like an engine rather than a person as you have to capture their busyness and the mechanics and somehow encapsulate that in the voice. I took it as a big responsibility to play Duchess.”
Thomas & Friends: The Royal Engine will air on Milkshake! on Channel 5 on 2 May at 9.05am and will stream on Netflix in the US on 1 May.
