We talk to the mega fans who camped out on Prince Consort Road for the Bond premiere
They’ve been here since Saturday
You might well be skiving lectures this afternoon to catch a glimpse of national treasure Daniel Craig and a handful of royals as they attend tonight’s Spectre premiere. That’s nothing compared to these fans, who have been camping out on Prince Consort Road for three days to secure a place right at the front of the crowds lining the red carpet.
The hype really began on Saturday afternoon, when 41 people signed up for front row spots to see the film’s cast, as well as Prince Harry, Prince William and his wife, Kate, who will be attending tonight’s glamorous event.
People with camping chairs and sleeping bags began to appear on Saturday, when they set up camp outside the Holy Trinity Church on a closed Prince Consort Road. The first arrival was an Ipswich couple in their 60s who grabbed the last train to London on Friday and arrived at 1am on Saturday morning. They also claimed to be the first in line 3 years ago when Skyfall premiered at the same venue.
The huge Bond fans said they had watched all 23 Bond movies in the build-up for tonight, until they “went blind”.
When asked why they had returned for Spectre, the couple said they had come very close to a selfie with Daniel Craig last time and that they would attempt it again on this occasion. Another person joked that he knows the films so well he’s starting to think he is Bond, although this FELIX reporter would comment that his physique was not a conventional one for the part.
The campers repeatedly called High Street Kensington’s 24-hour McDonald’s a “life saver”
The campers repeatedly called High Street Kensington’s 24-hour McDonald’s a “life saver”. The harsh sleeping conditions of an uncovered London road in the cold was ridiculed by one camper, who claimed he was “hardcore” enough to survive Saturday’s rain and 2°C night temperature, although he did complain that his sleep was disturbed by rowdy Imperial students leaving the Oktoberfest celebrations at the union on Saturday night.
The uber fans boasted of having seen Bond’s Aston Martin DB10, star of the trailer’s car chase in Rome, get delivered to the Royal Albert Hall this weekend. One commented that there seems to be more action in this instalment of the franchise .
With Bond’s return expected to be the second biggest film of the year after Star Wars, the crowds are likely to stretch all the way to Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road this evening. The keenest campers, who will be at the front of the red carpet, expressed fears of being shaken and stirred by the thousands expected on this evening, but when asked why they have gone to so much trouble for a glimpse of an actor, one said, “Well it’s Bond. It doesn’t get bigger than that, does it?”
