It's difficult to put into words just how revered the late Queen Elizabeth was. She was a true icon, inspiring people around the world with her strength, courage, resilience, and dedication to a life of service. For 70 years, she remained a constant presence as sovereign, shepherding the people of the UK through both joyful times and darker periods of challenge and uncertainty.
Between the cheery smile she almost always wore, her delightfully colorful outfits, her well-documented sense of humor, and her famous love of corgis, it's easy to see how the Queen became so iconic. And because she lived until the impressive age of 96, most people can't remember a time before Elizabeth was the monarch — she reigned for seven decades, after all. And the world's adoration only grew as time went on.
As the Queen's family, friends, and fans gather to bid her a final farewell at her London funeral service on September 19, we're highlighting just some of the many, many reasons why the world loved Elizabeth. She is truly irreplaceable!
Her Big, Cheery Grins
When Elizabeth smiled, her whole face lit up — and honestly, is there anything better than seeing how happy she looked at moments like this? She was grinning at the horse show in May 2022 to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, and given her love of horses, it's no surprise she was loving every minute of it.
Her Colorful Outfits
The Queen's wardrobe was many things, but boring wasn't one of them. She was never one for neutrals! As we know, Elizabeth had a lot of rules for the way she (and the rest of the royal family) should dress, but she might simply have been trying to make sure she stood out in her brightly colored matching suits and hats.
Her Collection of Corgis
The Queen was a fan of corgis for a long time. After all, they were her family pets in childhood. Elizabeth always owned at least one of the dogs, and in 2021, she was given two new corgis to cuddle while Prince Philip suffered ill health at the end of his life.
Her Sense of Humor
There were many parts of Elizabeth's job that were very serious, but that doesn't mean she was all buttoned up 100% of the time. She actually had a killer sense of humor, and she was even known to crack jokes during her appearances. (See the video here for just one example.)
Her Love for Her Great-Grandchildren
They might be a little rambunctious at times (all kids are), but there's no doubt that Elizabeth adored her great-grandchildren. In all, she had 12 — and there's a good chance that number will only grow in the coming years. (We're looking at you, Beatrice and Eugenie!)
Her Sense of Duty
Regardless of what was going on with Elizabeth personally — or what scandals her family members might have been getting into — she always put the job first. It's hard to imagine assuming the duties of a queen at just 25 years old while coping with the death of her father at the same time, but Elizabeth's sense of duty never wavered.
There Was a Lot of Mystery
Because Elizabeth wasn't exactly the kind of celebrity who tweeted every thought, there was a great deal of mystery about her. Whatever she was feeling or thinking, she kept it close to the vest, and that created plenty of curiosity among the public. Who wouldn't be interested in someone with that kind of intrigue surrounding them?
She Was a Major Pop Culture Figure
Elizabeth's significance went far past the UK. Even in the US, she was a symbol of the British monarchy — and whenever we think of England, her face is one of the first images that comes to mind. After all, she made her way onto teacups, plates, and a whole host of other merchandise, as well as stamps and currency.
She Seemed Unshakable
Elizabeth reigned for 70 years, and that means she saw quite a lot. And somehow, she remained calm through all of it, regardless of what was going on in the world or in her family. She was a steady hand, no matter what came her way. It's hard not to admire a quality like that.
She Drove Her Own Car
As a royal, Elizabeth could probably have been chauffeured everywhere if she wanted to, but it seemed as if she only took that option when it was absolutely necessary. Instead, she could be seen driving around in a Land Rover, looking like a total boss while doing it.
Her Relationship With Philip
Elizabeth's relationship with her husband, Prince Philip, was a truly special one — especially considering that their marriage spanned even longer than her reign. Photos of them together when they were younger are just as sweet as the ones taken later in their lives.
She Seemed To Love Her Job
There was likely quite a lot not to love about being Queen — the stuffy events, all of the rules she had to follow, and the pressure of all eyes being on her at all times. But Elizabeth really seemed to relish it, even the parts that weren't as glamorous as wearing a glittery tiara.
Her Social Media Posts
Of course, by her social media posts, we really mean the royal family's posts. After all, it's not like the Queen was sharing photos of what she ate for breakfast. But photos like this, where she's majestically posing with her fell ponies? Yeah, we loved this content.
She's the Only Royal Most of Us Remember
Again, this is where that 70-year reign comes into play: Most of our memories are only of Elizabeth. It's hard to imagine anyone else on the throne besides her, so the guy who's next (King Charles, of course) is going to have a tough act to follow.
She Was Adorable
Come on — who could really argue with this? There are a lot of reasons to have adored the Queen (and to celebrate how long she reigned), but we really can't deny that we loved seeing new photos of her, the happiest grandma and great-grandma around. She was just so cute! (And if you need even more proof, just rewatch her precious tea party with Paddington Bear.)
