Teresa “Tracy” Bond
Teresa “Tracy” Bond is the daughter of crime boss, Marc-Ange Draco and the wife of James Bond. Based on the literary character from Ian Fleming’s 1963 novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Tracy was portrayed by the late British actress Dame Diana Rigg in the 1969 film adaptation.
Tracy is unique among Bond girls as the only woman to officially marry James Bond. The character was later re-imagined for the 1986 James Bond 007 tabletop role-playing game and Activision’s 2012 video game, 007 Legends.
Tracy’s History
Born Teresa Draco in 1943, Tracy is the only child of Marc-Ange Draco, the leader of the Unione Corse, a powerful Corsican crime syndicate. Although not as large as SPECTRE, Unione Corse has more extensive legal operations, including Draco Construction.
Teresa prefers the name “Tracy” because she feels her real name doesn’t suit her. Her mother passed away in 1955, leading her father to send her to a Swiss boarding school. Lacking a stable home life, Tracy joined the “international fast set,” engaging in one scandal after another.
Her father eventually cut off her allowance, prompting her to commit further follies out of spite. Tracy later married Italian Count Giulio di Vicenzo, who died in a car accident with one of his mistresses.
Tracy in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
At the start of the film, Tracy attempts suicide by drowning in Portugal, but James Bond (George Lazenby) is driving past, sees what’s happening and gets out and saves her life.
They then bump into each other later at the Hotel Palacio Estoril’s casino, where Tracy recklessly loses a wager she cannot cover. Coming to her aid, Bond pays off her debt, prompting Tracy to invite him to her room.
At her room, Bond is ambushed by one of Draco’s henchmen. Later, in his suite, Tracy confronts Bond, holding him at gunpoint with his own Walther PPK. Bond disarms her, but finds himself seduced by Tracy as repayment for his favour at the casino. The next morning, she leaves while Bond is asleep, leaving the full amount of her casino debt.
Bond is then abducted and taken to Draco, who pleads with Bond to continue the relationship with Tracy, claiming it has improved her behaviour. Draco wants a husband who can “dominate” her and control her rebellious attitude.
Initially, Bond refuses but later accepts the proposal when Draco offers assistance in finding SPECTRE leader Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Tracy finds out about their agreement and is seething, but Bond assures her he really likes her. They continue to see each other and they both fall in love.
A while later, Bond is investigating Blofeld in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, and is on the run from his henchmen. Tracy has gone there to look for Bond, and bumps into him in the village, helping him get away in her Mercury Cougar XR7.
A snow blizzrd stops them, so they take shelter in a remote barn, where Bond proposes marriage, and Tracy duly accepts. The next day, they’re pursued by Blofeld and his henchmen on skis. Blofeld tries to kill them in an avalanche.
Believing Bond to be dead, Blofeld captures Tracy and takes her to his mountain fortress, Piz Gloria. Bond is refused permission by M to officially track down Blofeld, so he goes to Tracy’s father Draco, and with the help of his forces, he infiltrates Blofeld’s fortress to rescues Tracy.
After the mission is complete, Bond and Tracy get married at Draco’s estate. After their big day, the couple sets off for their honeymoon in Bond’s Aston Martin DBS, which is adorned with flowers. As they’re driving along the coast, Bond stops to remove the decorations.
Suddenly, tragedy strikes when Blofeld and his accomplice, Irma Bunt, carry out a drive-by shooting using a silenced M16A1 assault rifle, and Tracy is fatally shot in the forehead. A police officer later discovers Bond’s car, and an emotional Bond, cradling Tracy’s lifeless body.
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg DME was a celebrated, English stage and screen actress. Born in Doncaster, Yorkshire, on July 20, 1938, Rigg spent much of her formative years in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, where she became proficient in Hindi.
Diana Rigg’s professional stage debut came in 1957, and she later joined the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company and performed in many major West End and Broadway productions in both London and New York.
On screen, Rigg gained fame for her portrayal of Emma Peel in the TV series The Avengers (1965-1968), where her charisma and style turned her into a sex symbol. She went on to play Bond girl, Tracy Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) and, more recently, Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones (2013-2017).
In June 1994, Queen Elizabeth II honoured Diana Rigg with the title of ‘Dame’ by appointing her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her significant contributions to theatre and film.
Dame Diana Rigg passed away in September 2020 at the age of 82.
Teresa “Tracy” Bond
Tracy Bond holds a unique and unforgettable place in the James Bond franchise. As the only woman to have married 007, she has left an indelible mark on the series and continues to be a point of reference for discussions on Bond’s romantic relationships.
Diana Rigg’s stunning beauty, and the multifaceted nature of Tracy, sets her apart from other Bond girls, making her one of the most iconic and enduring characters in the Bond universe.
