The Queen should be replaced by an elected head of state, with JK Rowling a natural contender for the post, says Danny Boyle, architect of the Olympics opening ceremony which gave the monarch one of her most memorable starring roles.

Boyle makes the suggestion in a Guardian interview where he reveals the debt he owes to both the controversial former Downing Street adviser Steve Hilton and the ill-fated Millennium Dome, tells how he was rejected by Elvis Costello as well as David Bowie and discloses how he came to cast the Queen alongside James Bond.

The Oscar-winning director, who won near-universal plaudits for the London 2012 opening ceremony, comes out as a republican, one who believes Britain will abolish the monarchy in his lifetime. Of the royal family, he says: "I think the pressure on them is utterly impossible, as recent events show. It's a ludicrous spotlight they're under. You can still have a royal family if you like … but actually have an elected head of state."

When asked if he would offer himself for such a role, he laughs off the idea - "I'm not looking for a job" - suggesting instead the Harry Potter creator, Rowling.

Boyle also sheds new light on his refusal of a knighthood at the end of last year. "Not my cup of tea, never has been. I believe in being an equal citizen rather than a preferred subject."

He does, however, praise the Queen for her acting performance in the short, filmed sketch where she appeared alongside Daniel Craig. "She's very sharp," he says, adding that as a public figure "she has a natural sense of rhythm". He reveals that the monarch kept her cameo role with 007 a secret from her own family, ensuring the Windsors were as surprised as everyone else on the night.

Boyle discloses that his link with government was Hilton, one of the few people allowed a sneak preview of the ceremony's contents. He says the former advisor "understood it", acting as an interpreter to the rest of Whitehall. Ministerial interference was minimal, says the director, because politicians feared a repeat of the Dome fiasco and did not want their "thumbprints" on a failure.

He says he knew his Oscar success with Slumdog Millionaire gave him the clout to do the show on his own terms, admitting that there were a couple of times when he had to say to organisers, "If you want it to be that way, I'll walk away."

He also pays tribute to Ken Livingstone whose role in the Games was "a bit forgotten" on the night. To make amends, Boyle has ensured a shot of the former London mayor is visible in the DVD of the ceremony.

Cross ref Weekend