The late Queen Elizabeth II and Paddington Bear had a very special relationship — one so deep that a man even got their bond tattooed on himself.
An anonymous man in Benidorm, Spain, inked a graphic of Elizabeth and Paddington on Monday as a tribute to the monarch, who passed away on Sept. 8 at the age of 96 after seven decades of service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
The ink showed a corgi, the blue duffle coat-donning teddy and the back of Elizabeth in a turquoise dress with the words, “Well that’s that done, tea?” drawn by illustrator Eleanor Tomlinson.
A tattoo artist named Jon discussed the permanent illustration and how a client brought in the design for him to draw.
“It’s very common in this industry to have requests for tribute tattoos after a well-known person passes away,” he told the Mirror.
“I normally shy away from them because I don’t like to make money off other people’s misfortune. So when I got the request, I said I wouldn’t make money from it,” he went on.
The sweet ink featured Paddington walking with Queen Elizabeth and her corgi. Jon Malvern / SWNSElizabeth’s funeral is set to commence on Sept. 19, and some stores around the United Kingdom will be closed out of respect for mourners.
“On the day of the funeral I will close the shop and use the money from the reduced-price tattoo to buy flowers to put outside of the shop,” Jon added.
The sovereign famously starred in a TV skit with Paddington in honor of her Platinum Jubilee earlier this year, hilariously having tea with the cuddly creature.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who co-wrote the sketch, explained how it came to be following her death last week. “She’s absolutely glowing in that moment,” he told the BBC on Sept. 9.
“She [acted] brilliantly and with evident enjoyment. And it wasn’t easy. Paddington’s not really there, so it’s technically an amazing performance and a brilliantly timed comic performance,” he said.
The bear even paid tribute to Elizabeth after her passing, tweeting: “Thank you Ma’am, for everything.”
Mourners have even been leaving stuffed Paddingtons and marmalade sandwiches — a favorite snack of the bear and the queen — at Green Park, next to Buckingham Palace, despite royal officials begging them not to.
