The royal family have shared a moving tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on what would have been her 97th birthday.
Taking to social media, the official Royal Family Instagram account (used to share updates on everyone from King Charles III to the Waleses and the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh), posted a picture of the former Queen looking smiley in a pale blue hat, holding a bunch of flowers.
Encouraging the account's 12.9 million followers to learn more about Her Majesty on this special day, an accompanying caption reads: "Today we remember the incredible life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 97th birthday.
"When Her Majesty was born in April 1926, Princess Elizabeth and her family did not expect that she would one day become Queen. Following the abdication of her uncle King Edward VIII in 1936, her father acceded to the throne."
It added that when King George VI died in the February of 1952, the then-Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen Elizabeth II, at the mere age of 25. "Her Majesty went on to be Britain’s longest reigning Monarch - the only one in history to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee," the wording continues, before adding that those interested can "find out more about Queen Elizabeth II's life and legacy on our website".
Quick to flood the comments with well wishes, one royal fan wrote, "Happy heavenly birthday, Her Majesty!! You are very missed all around the world!!" while another added that they were grateful to have had Queen Elizabeth II around for her 96 years. "Happy heavenly birthday Queen Elizabeth II," they wrote. "May she rest in peace, I’m glad we got to witness her as long as we did."
A third added, "We will always remember her! 💜😢"
King Charles III souvenirs: The best memorabilia to mark the Coronation
The Coronation Gin - In Collaboration With Historic Royal Palaces
The Coronation Gin is the latest creation from Gin In A Tin, made in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces. We love the beautiful design, which features a magnificent gold foiled crown, adorned with the iconic symbols of the four nations of the United Kingdom: a classic English rose, a traditional Scottish thistle, a springtime Welsh daffodil and the delicate Irish shamrock.
Upon sipping, you will notice distinctive notes of coriander, cardamom, lemon peel and botanicals centred around juniper berries. This tipple makes for the ultimate royal celebration drink, particularly when making a classic gin cocktail.
Raise your cuppa to our new King with Emma Bridgewater's commemorative mug. Perfect for fans to snap up in time for the Coronation.
3 Cheers for King Charles III Tin Tea Caddy
Keep your teabags safe and secure in this colourful caddy. Featuring King Charles' official cypher and rows of miniature crowns, it's available to purchase for just £10.
Coronation Party Embroidered Cushion in Luxury Wool Felt
This fabulous appliquéd and hand-embroidered cushion celebrates the Coronation in style. A beautiful keepsake to treasure for years to come.
This commemorative mug features the words 'King Charles Coronation' and includes an illustration of a crown surrounded by Union Jack flags. It's perfect to add to your Coronation memorabilia collection.
Featuring King Charles' official cypher, this handprinted mug from Etsy is a wonderful keepsake for the coronation of the King.
These stylish crown studs are an original design by jewellery artist Francesca Stella, hand-crafted in her studio in Cornwall using your choice of ethical gold.
The design is available exclusively on the Country Living Marketplace and can have the Coronation commemorative hallmark applied to them upon request before purchase.
Raise your morning coffee to our new King with Emma Bridgewater's appropriate 1/2 pint mug.
Coronation Delphinium Crown Commemorative Tea Towel in Blue
Printed and made in Great Britain, this Coronation commemorative tea towel celebrates King Charles III's favourite flower, the Delphinium, and his love of nature. It's made from 100% sustainably farmed cotton and is printed using reactive inks that are free from harmful chemicals.
Don't start your Coronation party without these Union Jack bunting napkins from Emma Bridgewater.
Protect your coffee table from spills and stains with this King Charles III coaster. Made from beech, it features the King's official cypher.
We love this commemorative mug which features an official portrait of King Charles III. It's the perfect souvenir to get your hands on ahead of the Coronation.
Dunoon His Majesty the King Charles III Accession Wessex Shape Mug
Enjoy your morning brew in this King Charles III Coronation mug. Embellished with 22 carat gold, it features the silhouette of the King on the front and back, and is decorated with vine motifs and a beautiful deep blue colour.
This commemorative tea towel features an official portrait of the King alongside the words 'King Charles III, 8th September 2022'.
Hang this King Charles Coronation flag at your street party to celebrate our new monarch.
Black Toast King & Queen Set Of 2 1/2 Pint Mugs
Give your kitchen cupboards the royal treatment with this set of two King and Queen mug from Emma Bridgewater. Each set comes presented in a box.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
