No Time To Die: Daniel Craig looks dapper as he joins Lashana Lynch and Kate Middleton at premiere

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The Duchess of Cambridge sparkled on Tuesday as she and Prince William joined Daniel Craig for the world premiere of No Time To Die at the Royal Albert Hall, with Kate opting for a stunning gold Jenny Packham gown.

The much anticipated premiere kicked off to much fanfare after the COVID-19 pandemic led to the film’s release being postponed for more than a year. 

The Royals rubbed shoulders with departing Daniel Craig  – who is playing Bond for the final time in the film – and his glamorous Bond girls, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas and Lea Seydoux

Daniel, 52, looked sharp in a fuchsia pink tuxedo as he chatted to Kate, with the actor quick to compliment the Duchess on her stunning Packham gown. 

The actor appeared to be uncharacteristically speechless as he marvelled at the Duchess and her outfit, kindly telling her: ‘You look jolly lovely!’ 

Joining Daniel, Lashana looked effortlessly glamorous in an elaborate yellow Vivienne Westwood Couture gown, while Lea dazzled in a shimmering silver number and Ana opted for an elegant black dress.

William and Kate arrived first to the premiere and were driven down the red carpet in a fleet of Range Rovers past one of the famous Aston Martin cars from the film, all while being waved on by a packed crowd outside the historic venue.    

Later in the evening, stars of the film including Daniel, Ana and Lashana spent time with members of the royal family before Kate, William, Charles and Camilla took their seats in the royal box.

Daniel was photographed conversing with Prince Charles and Kate, while both Charles and William chatted to Cuban star Ana with Lashana and Kate also appearing deep in conversation while Billie beamed as she spoke to the Duke of Cambridge.  

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were also driven partially down the red carpet in a state Bentley before being taken inside to meet the actors. 

Royal sources said the outing of Charles, Camilla, William and Kate could herald a ‘new era’ of collaboration and solidarity between the future king and his eldest son.

Charles and Camilla attended the world premiere of the 23rd Bond film, Skyfall, in 2012 while William and Kate attended the star-studded world premiere for the last Bond film, Spectre, in 2015, when they were joined by Prince Harry.      

Clara Amfo  was the first celebrity to arrive on the No Time To Die red carpet. 

Also walking the carpet was Billie Eilish, who is behind the theme song for No Time To Die alongside her brother Finneas.

The Grammy-winner, 19, looked typically stylish in an all-black look and added height to her frame in chunky open-toe platform shoes.  

Actress Priyanga Burford stepped onto the carpet wearing a striking floral wraparound top and matching trousers.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly also opted for black, teaming her short one-shoulder frock with glitzy heels. The blonde bombshell was joined on the red carpet by her husband Vernon Kay.

Naomie Harris looked stunning when she stepped onto the carpet, with the Moneypenny actress donning a low-cut gown that boasted show-stopping cut-out detailing. 

Designer Kimberley Garner put on an eye-popping display, walking the carpet in a barely-there white dress that boasted show-stopping cut-out detailing. 

No Time To Die villain Rami Malek appeared in high spirits while posing on the red carpet in an expertly-tailored suit and polished black shoes while Q actor Ben Whishaw opted for an embroidered suit jacket.

Aquaman’s Jason Momoa cut a dapper figure when he arrived ahead of the film’s screening and posed for photographers alongside his daughter. 

Also looking sharp was No Time To Die actor Dali Benssalah, who stepped out wearing an all-black suit as actor Jeffrey Wright arrived to the event rocking a suit in a deep shade of forest green.

Spice Girl Geri Horner donned a glamorous white dress and beamed while posing with her husband Christian on the star-studded carpet.

Cutting a dapper enough figure to give Bond himself a run for his money was footballing star Harry Kane.

Kane sweetly wrapped his arm around his wife Katie and his black suit was a far cry from his England kit. 

Taking inspiration from the iconic jumpsuit she wore in Fleabag, writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge turned heads in a glittering black one-piece complete with a plunging neckline.

James Bond icon Judi Dench was among the stars on Tuesday, and wowed in a glittering black jacket while No Time To Die composer Hans Zimmer opted for a smart suit complete with flamboyant slippers.

Tennis champion Emma Raducanu made sure all eyes were on her when she stepped out wearing a beautiful Grecian-inspired gown.  

Other guests included former Strictly star Nicola Adams who looked every inch the fashionista in a black suit and wrapped her arm around her partner Ella Baig, while Sara Pagliaroli and Lance Stroll also made radiant appearances. 

Musician Tallia Storm worked her best angles in a dress draped with striking chain detail and songwriter Jay Kay opted for a sharp suit.

Mark Burnett and his wife, actress Roma Downey, also put on a loved-up display with Roma looking sensational in a billowing blue gown.

Olympic athletes Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova opted for identical thigh-split dresses in different colours 

Sir Mo Farah appeared delighted to be out in the name of film and posed alongside his wife Tania and daughter Rhianna while funnymen Alan Carr and David Walliams put on a playful display, with David wrapping his arm around Alan.

Fashion influencers Alessandro Maria Ferreri with Marco Bonaldo caught the eye in smart suit trousers teamed with show-stopping patterned blazers while Paralympic athletes Bethany Firth, Jordan Birtles, Maisie Summers-Newton, Hannah Cockroft, Nathan Maguire and Charlotte Henshaw enjoyed a night on the town together.  

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll was also in attendance and joined by his partner Raquel who wore a delicate beaded dress and also in attendance were Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.

Ronan Keating and his wife Storm enjoyed a glamourous date night together at the world premiere while Claudia Winkleman grinned from ear to ear when she made a stylish arrival in the capital. 

London mayor Sadiq Khan flashed photographers on the red carpet a hang loose sign.

Looking as timeless as ever was actress Britt Ekland, who wore a semi-sheer dress and suede black boots.

Rappers Skepta, Dave and Stormzy posed together on the carpet and all looked equally suave in smartly tailored suits.

After the red carpet, Daniel addressed the large audience inside the Royal Albert Hall. 

Clutching a microphone, he was joined onstage by his co-stars and appeared emotional while delivering a speech to the crowd.  

After giving up the mic, Daniel was clapped by his fellow actors who seemed proud to be a part of such a highly-anticipated blockbuster. 

Ahead of the red carpet event, fans gathered at the Royal Albert Hall to catch a glimpse of James Bond’s Aston Martin as it made its way to the red carpet. 

Crew members brought the luxury vehicle to the venue in a truck where it was rolled out hours before the star-studded event began.   

The car had bullet holes in the glass and scratches across the sides following Bond’s adventures. 

It has been a long road to the premiere after the film’s release was delayed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The film, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, was originally scheduled for release in April 2020, but was pushed back to November before the release was changed once again to April 2021 in light of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The release date was finally settled for September 30 in the UK followed by October 8 in the US.

Ahead of the release, Daniel and some of his fellow star cast members joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky to talk about the movie.

Daniel, who has appeared in five Bond films over 15 years, told Chris: ‘After the last one, I thought that was it. I thought, ‘I can’t do any more of these’. 

‘I got a bit of a rest and we kind of talked about what we wanted to do with this last movie and how big we wanted to go, and it felt right, and I just got really excited about it, and I can’t wait for people to see it.

‘I saw a rough cut of it about a month after we finished, which is really rough, because there’s no special effects or anything. When you see that version of it, you just hope and pray that it makes sense, and it did. 

‘Once you get the effects, and you get the music, Hans Zimmer’s done the music, and it’s just incredible. The story holds together.’

‘Everyone is just turning in brilliant performances, and I think it’s quite special.’

Speaking about the enforced delay to the film’s release due to the pandemic, the actor said: ‘It’s odd enough with a movie, when you’ve finished it, and you put it out and you kind of go, ‘Woah, I hope it’s good.’ 

‘But when there is a two-year gap between finishing it and putting it out, it just makes things even stranger.’  

On where he was when he first found out he had got the role of Bond: ‘I was in Baltimore doing a movie. And I was in Whole Foods, doing my weekly shop, wandering around with a trolley with food in it, and (producer) Barbara Broccoli was on the phone, and she just went, ‘Over to you kiddo.’ 

‘So I got my trolley and I pushed it quietly down an aisle, walked into the booze section and bought a bottle of vodka and a bottle of vermouth, a glass and a shaker, took it home and drank it, and then went out and sat in a bar and drank about three more vodka martinis.

‘It’s really sad, actually, when you think about it. But, I must have had a sort of look on my face, because the barman kept asking me what was going on, and I said, ‘I can’t tell you!’ 

Daniel recently addressed the outdated James Bond plotlines of past films in the franchise – such as the idea of glamorous disposable so-called Bond girls.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, he said of the spy series – which sees latest movie No Time To Die released this week – that ‘you’ve got to adapt’ with the times.

‘Certainly a lot of what went on in the earlier movies is sort of questionable now… different times, but we didn’t want to lose the essence [in the new film]. It’s still a Bond movie.

‘I’ve been given free range to put my influence on it, but I’ve never forgotten that. We can have all key elements and things people have loved over the years, but you adapt. 

‘One of my biggest things is all the characters, especially the women, have to be brilliant and believable.’

Daniel also told Lorraine about becoming overcome with emotion when he shot his final scene as Bond.

‘Everybody turned up – all the heads of department came down, and I thought ‘Oh God, I have to make a speech, this is my worst nightmare.’ It all just came out, I tried to keep it together.

‘All of those people I go to work with every day, particularly on this movie, the collective effort was so huge and meant so much to me that everyone put that hard work in – that’s what I’ll miss so much.’

No Time To Die is the 25th film in the franchise, and finds Bond after he has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica when his old friend Felix Leiter, played by Jeffrey Wright, from the CIA turns up asking for help.

Leaving his seemingly happy life with Madeleine (Lea Seydoux), Bond returns to the field to face Safin (Rami Malek) who is armed with a new dangerous technology that could impact the world.

Producer Barbara Broccoli has already teased what fans can expect and said that the movie will deliver a satisfying ending for Daniel’s Bond.

Speaking on the official James Bond podcast, she said: ‘It’s a culmination of everything that his portrayal of the character has been through and it ties up all the storylines. It’s a pretty epic film, I have to say.’

Daniel took over the role of Bond from Pierce Brosnan in Casino Royale in 2006 and went onto appear in Quantum of Solace in 2008, Skyfall in 2012 and Spectre in 2015.

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