George Lazenby has divided fans for years over his portrayal of James Bond in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The actor only had one outing as the iconic spy, despite producers attempting to sign him for seven films in the franchise. On-screen, the star romanced three Bond girls, however, a fourth woman who starred in the film went on to become one of Britain's most beloved actresses. Discover all you need to know about the lives of George Lazenby's Bond girls.
Diana was the Bond girl who captured the spy's heart
Diana Rigg – Countess Tracy di Vicenzo
Countess Tracy is one of the most tragic characters in the Bond canon, with the character's on-screen introduction seeing her attempting to drown herself before being rescued by Bond. The couple grew closer over the course of the film, with Bond eventually proposing to the Countess. Although they looked set to get their happy ending, in the closing moments of the film, Tracy is gunned down by Bond's arch-enemy, Ernest Stavro Blofeld. Her death was referenced in several other Bond films, including Roger Moore's incarnation of the spy laying flowers at her grave in For Your Eyes Only.
Diana had plenty of spy credentials before appearing in the Bond franchise, having played secret agent Emma Peel in The Avengers between 1965 and 1968. Following her appearance in the film, Diana continued to act and achieved major parts in films such as Julius Caesar, The Great Muppet Caper, Evil Under the Sun and The Worst Witch.
The star also tried her hand at presenting and fronted the PBS show Mystery! between 1989 and 2003. However, acting was where her heart lay, and she continued to appear in major shows like Doctor Who and Extras. One of her biggest roles was as Lady Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones, which earned her an Emmy nomination, although the star admitted that she never watched the show.
Diana caused a lot of controversy in the 1960s when she pursued married director Philip Saville, with the pair living together for eight years. In 1973, she married Israeli painter Menachem Gueffen, but the couple split in 1976. A year later, she welcomed her daughter, Rachael Stirling, who also became an actress, with producer Archie Stirling. Diana and Archie married in 1982, but they divorced in 1990 after he had an affair with actress Joely Richardson.
The star died at the age of 82 on 10 September 2020 following a battle with lung cancer. She had been acting in the years and months before her death, including as Mrs Pumphrey in All Creatures Great and Small and Ms Collins in Last Night in Soho; the film released in 2021, was dedicated to her memory.
Angela sadly passed away in 2011
Angela Scoular – Ruby Bartlett
Angela seduced Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, despite her character having an unusual allergy to chickens. Ruby was one of Blofeld's 'Angels of Death', although she was unaware of her role in his villainous plot, which was later foiled by the secret agent. On Her Majesty's Secret Service wasn't Angela's only role in a Bond film, as she also appeared as Buttercup in the 1967 spoof version of Casino Royale.
Following the release of the film, Angela featured in four other films: The Adventurers, Doctor in Trouble, Adventures of a Taxi Driver and Adventures of a Private Eye, however, she continued acting in stage productions. In 1977, she moved in with comedy actor Leslie Phillips, although she was already pregnant with another man's child. However, Leslie helped Angela raise her son, and the couple married in 1982.
During her life, Angela suffered from depression and anorexia, and in 1992, she attempted suicide. In 2009, she was diagnosed with bowel cancer, but was later declared to be cancer-free. However, she started to fear that the illness would return, and in 2011, she caused lethal burns to her digestive tract and skin, passing away at the age of 65 on 11 April 2011. A coroner ruled that the late actress "killed herself while the balance of her mind was disturbed", but did not register a verdict of suicide.
Catherine had a small role in the film
Catherine Schell – Nancy
Catherine had a small role in On Her Majesty's Service as Nancy, a Hungarian 'Angel of Death', who sneaks into Bond's room as he stays at the clinic. Away from the film, Catherine continued to act, appearing in the Doctor Who serial, City of Death, as well as playing Lady Claudine Litton in The Return of the Pink Panther and Maya in Space: 1999.
Although Catherine retired from acting in the 1990s, she has been tempted out of her retirement for two roles. In 2020, she appeared as Grand Duchess Valeria in the BBC's Dracula, while in 2022, she played Zoya Krupp in horror-comedy, The Munsters.
In 1968, Catherine married British actor William Marlowe, after the pair acted together in Amsterdam Affair; however, in 1977, the couple divorced. Five years later, Catherine married director Bill Hays, with the couple working together on a few projects. The couple remained together until Bill's death in 2006. The star is currently enjoying her retirement in France.
Joanna appeared alongside several other beauties
Joanna Lumley – Englishwoman
Joanna played an unnamed Englishwoman who was one of Blofeld's 'Angels of Death' in the film, although her character doesn't get romantically involved with Bond. The film was only Joanna's second movie and she has since gone on to appear in two films in the Pink Panther franchise, as well as James and the Giant Peach, Prince Valiant, Corpse Bride and The Picture of Dorian Gray.
One of Joanna's most iconic roles was as Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, in which she acted opposite series creator Jennifer Saunders. The series saw her win three BAFTA Awards, and be nominated for a further three, while Joanna also reprised the role in the 2016 movie. The star continues to act and most recently appeared as Grandmama Hester Frump in Netflix's Wednesday.
Away from acting, Joanna is known for her humanitarian work, and in 2008, she became the face of the Gurkha Justice Campaign, which seeks to allow Nepalese Gurkha veterans the right to settle in the United Kingdom. The actress is also a proud parent to her son, who was fathered by photographer Michael Claydon. Between 1970 and 1971, the star was married to actor Jeremy Lloyd, before marrying conductor Stephen Barlow in 1986; the couple have remained together ever since.
Other 'Angels of Death' who appeared in the film include Anouska Hempel, Dani Sheridan, Helena Ronee, Ingrid Back, Jenny Hanley, Julie Ege, Mona Chong, Sylvana Henriques and Zaheera.