Naomie Harris
Naomie Harris poses with her medal after being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace AFP/Getty Images

British actress Naomie Harris has been awarded an OBE for her services to drama.

Attending the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday (23 February), the 40-year-old James Bond star looked elegant in a Mary Katrantzou dress. She told BBC News that collecting her award from the Queen was "lovely", adding that Her Majesty asked her what she was working on at the moment.

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The royal honour was the icing on the cake in what will no doubt be a memorable week for Harris. She is due to head to LA for the Oscars on Sunday (26 February) where she is nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Moonlight.

"I'm not going to forget this week," she told Associated Press.

Naomie, who has been lauded for her visceral performance as the drug-addicted mother of a young black gay man growing up in Miami in the BarryJenkins directed film, faces strong competition from fellow Best Support Actress nominees Viola Davies for Fences, Nicole Kidman for Lion, Octavia Spencer in Hidden Figures and Michelle Williams in Manchester by the Sea.

"I don't think I have a chance of winning at all," she said, adding that it feels "incredible" to be nominated.

The British star is, of course, best known as Moneypenny in 007. And while the question of who might be the next Bond had had everyone guessing, Harris seems certain that Daniel Craig will return as 007 in the next instalment of the global franchise

"I really don't think that they've moved on from Daniel," she said. "I think there's a very good chance that Daniel will come back. I think it's way too early to be thinking about other people at this stage.

"If I was going to bet, that's the way I would bet," she added.

Harris said that she believes fans would be 'very disappointed' if Craig did not return to the role, as would the cast.

"I think the fact that the last two Bonds - Spectre and Skyfall - have been the highest-grossing Bond movies of all time shows that people love him as Bond, and they desperately want him to return," she explained.

"And I don't think Daniel is immune to that as well, I think he's very aware of that, so I think that adds an extra level of pressure. But he has to ultimately do what feels right to him.

Daniel Craig and Naomie Harris.
October 23, 2012 - London, UK: Naomie Harris and Daniel Craig at the SKYFALL London Premiere at Royal Albert Hall. SPE, Inc./Edmond Terakopian

"But I know that we, as a cast, collectively want him back. I know that Barbara and Michael - our producers - desperately want him back, so I think the only person that needs persuading is Daniel."

Shortly after the release of Spectre, Craig said he would rather 'slash my wrists' than appear in another film as the secret service agent according to Mail Online.

Naomie, who played Moneypenny in Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015), has previously said she wants to continue appearing in Bond films "for as long as they'll have me".

For the moment she has her sights set on possible Oscar glory.

The 2017 Academy Awards take place in Los Angeles on 26 February.