Today, Britain woke up to its first day in more than 70 years without Queen Elizabeth II at its helm, as people around the country and the world mourn the passing of the monarch.

Tributes have been pouring in from across the globe for Elizabeth, who died at age 96 after the longest reign in British history, a period during which she oversaw the last throes of the empire, endured global upheaval and domestic scandals, welcomed 15 prime ministers, and dramatically modernized the monarchy.

We at Bored Panda would also like to pay our respects to the great leader, so we put together a list of moments that we believe perfectly capture Elizabeth’s vibrant personality and unshakable confidence. Continue scrolling and check them out.

#1 That London Olympics 2012 Video When She Appeared To Jump Out Of A Helicopter

Queen Elizabeth II specifically asked to be in a James Bond skit with Daniel Craig for the Olympics, breaking royal protocol. When asked if she would like to say something she said, “Of course I must say something. After all, he is coming to rescue me.”

Image credits: Olympics

#2 Queen Elizabeth II During Ww2 As A Driver And Mechanic

The Queen is a trained mechanic. As an 18 year old Princess during the Second World War she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the women’s branch of the British Army. As part of her training she undertook a driving and vehicle maintenance course and qualified as a mechanic on 14 April 1945.

Image credits: Electrical-Cow-5147

#3 A British Couple Jokingly Invited Queen Elizabeth To Their 2012 Wedding And She Actually Showed Up

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#4 Queen Elizabeth II Driving Her Range Rover In A Hoodie

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#5 Queen Elizabeth Meeting Manchester Terror Victim

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#6 Queen Elizabeth II Being A Bad**s And Teaching Abdullah A Lesson In Equality

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#7 Rare Photo Of Queen Elizabeth II On Her Coronation Day, Displaying The Crown Jewels And The Holy Hand Grenade Of Antioch

Image credits: bram_stokers_acura

#8 Reference Of World Leaders’ Terms Compared To Queen Elizabeth’s Reign

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#9 Til, When Germany Surrendered At The End Of Wwii, Huge Celebrations Broke Out On The Streets Of London

Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and her sister secretly left Buckingham Palace to join the crowds outside, with Elizabeth describing it as “one of the most memorable nights of my life”

Image credits: ugotamesij

#10 Totally Loving That The Queen Of England Photo Bombed This Pic Of Two Girls From The Aussie’s Hockey Team In The Common Wealth Games

Image credits: jessmarquez

#11 Found The Newspaper That Announced Elizabeth As Queen

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#12 In 1976 The Queen Became The First Monarch To Send An Email During A Visit To An Army Base

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#13 Queen Elizabeth’s Birth Was Probably Announced Via A Telegram And Her Death Via A Tweet

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#14 Queen Elizabeth The II Of The United Kingdom Was A Big Fan Of Nintendo’s Game Console Wii

After watching her grandson play it during Christmas one year, she asked if she could have a go. Apparently she was a “natural” at Wii Bowling, and she became quite fond of the console

Image credits: donfelicedon2

#15 Queen Elizabeth Once Hid In A Bush With Her Corgis To Avoid Talking To Romanian Dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu And His Wife

Image credits: Fun_Wonder_4114

#16 Queen Elizabeth And Prince Phillip, Married Since 1947

Image credits: Hezha98

#17 She Married Against Her Family’s Wishes

The Queen crushed on Prince William when she was a teenager. Her family wasn’t excited, Philip was not as wealthy as a foreign born prince and was considered not good enough. When the prince initially asked Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, for her hand in marriage, the king told him no. They became engaged in July 1947 and she married him anyway.

Image credits: wikimedia

#18 Queen Elizabeth Has Met 12 Us Presidents During Her Reign. Which Is Over A Quarter Of All Presidents Since The United States’ Inception

Image credits: nara.getarchive

#19 September 12th 2001, Queen Elizabeth II Broke Ton By Ordering The Us Anthem To Be Played At The Changing Of The Guard At Buckingham Palace

Image credits: ThroatSores

#20 Queen Elizabeth Once Went For A Walk Near Her Balmoral Estate With One Of Her Protection Officers And Met Some American Tourists Who Didn’t Recognise Her

They asked her if she’d ever met the Queen and she said “No”, then pointed to her officer and said “he has”. They didn’t connect the dots.

Image credits: Tokyono

#21 Her Joy Upon Giving Same-Sex Marriage Her Royal Assent

The Queen apparently expressed her joy at finally giving same-sex marriage her official approval. Allegedly, after signing she exclaimed “well, who’d have thought 62 years ago when I came to the throne, I’d be signing something like this? Isn’t it wonderful?” In 2017, she vowed that her government “will make further progress to tackle the gender pay gap and discrimination against people on the basis of their race, faith, gender, disability or sexual orientation.”

Image credits: flickr

#22 Queen Elizabeth II Was Spotted Riding A Horse On The Grounds Of Windsor Castle At 93 Years Old

#23 The Royal Family’s Last Name Was Disputed When Queen Elizabeth II Became The Reigning Monarch

When she married Prince Philip in 1947, she chose to keep her own house’s name rather (Windsor) rather than taking on her husband’s which was Mountbatten. Prince Filip wasn’t too happy, especially when the Queen’s mother and Winston Churchill also insisted on keeping the house of Windsor’s name. Eventually, Elizabeth and Philip compromised on Mountbatten-Windsor in 1960. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry used the last name for their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

Image credits: wikimedia

#24 In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II Decided To Not Breed Anymore Corgis So That She Would Not Leave Any Behind When She Died. Her Last Corgi Died In April 2018

Image credits: EmperorPooMan

#25 The First Broadcast Speech Of Queen Elizabeth (Then 14 Year Old Princess Elizabeth) With Her Sister Princess Margaret, Broadcasting On “Children’s Hour” From Buckingham Palace To The Children Sent Away As Evacuees. 1940

During one of the broadcasts, the 14-year-old princess reassured listeners, “I can truthfully say to you all that we children at home are full of cheerfulness and courage. We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen and we are trying too to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war.”

Image credits: JAdaire

#26 The Queen Holds Seven Guinness World Records

Longest reigning queen
Oldest British monarch
Oldest British Queen
Oldest current monarch
Feature on the most currencies
The wealthiest Queen
Largest parade of boats

Image credits: Commonwealth Secretariat

#27 The Queen Kept It Together During An Assassination Attempt

on June 13th 1981, as Queen Elizabeth rode her horse through streets, six shots suddenly rang out, seemingly aimed at the Queen. Her horse panicked, and began to take off, but she quickly calmed him, kept her cool and continued on her slow journey through the streets as if nothing had happened. The shots turned out to be blanks.

Image credits: wikimedia

#28 When She Asked What Name She Would Like, She Replied: “My Own Of Course — What Else?”

There is a tradition in taking a new name when one ascends to the throne. On February 2, 1952, Elizabeth ascended the throne at the age of 25. She kept her own name, Elizabeth, as her regnal title. She was asked by her Private Secretary what her regnal name would be, to which she responded, “My own, of course—what else?”

Image credits: Commonwealth Secretariat

#29 Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip And Prince William Reacting To Bishop Curry At Royal Wedding

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#30 Queen Elizabeth Cracking Up When She Realises The Man In The Uniform Is Her Husband !

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#31 She Made Fun Of George W. Bush

In 2007, the queen poked fun at president George W. Bush when he accidentally said she had celebrated the US bicentennial in 1776 instead of 1976.

Image credits: getarchive

#32 Queen Elizabeth Knew Her Way Around A Gun, Both For Sport And Defense

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#33 Queen Elizabeth II Was Immune From Prosecution, Could Drive Without A License, And Could Fire The Prime Minister Of Australia Or Canada As She Pleased

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#34 Queen Elizabeth II Addresses A Vast Gathering Of More Than A Quarter Of A Million In India, 1961

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#35 Queen Elizabeth Poses For A Group Photo With Construction Workers

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#36 Queen Elizabeth And Marilyn Monroe Were Born In The Same Year. This Is Them Meeting At A Movie Premiere In London 1956, Both At The Age Of 30

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#37 Queen Elizabeth II Has Outlasted The Longest-Reigning Occupant Of The Roman Imperial Throne, Constantine Viii (30 III 962 – 11 Xi 1028), Whose Tenure Went On For 66 Years And 226 Days

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#38 She Got Laughs At A G7 Event

During a photo-op at the 2021 G7 Summit, she asked, “Are you supposed to be looking as if you’re enjoying yourself?”

Image credits: Number 10

#39 She And Prince Harry Appeared In A Promo For The 2016 Invictus Games

Image credits: The Royal Family

#40 She And Prince Philip Met Donna The Elephant In 2017

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#41 What Is The Most Intimidating Thing About Queen Elizabeth II?

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#42 When World War II Broke Out In 1939, Elizabeth—then Just A Teenager—begged Her Father To Join The Effort Even Though She Was Too Young

Image credits: flickr

#43 Queen Elizabeth II Didn’t Need A British Passport To Travel Abroad

Explanation from the official website of the British monarchy: “When travelling overseas, The Queen does not require a British passport. The cover of a British passport features the Royal Arms, and the first page contains another representation of the Arms, together with the following wording:
‘Her Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State requests and requires in the name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.’
As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one. All other members of the Royal Family, including The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales, have passports.”

Image credits: Foreign, Commonwealth

#44 She Laughed When The Knife Got Stuck In A Cake She Was Cutting

Image credits: NBC News

#45 Queen Elizabeth II Reminding Prince William To Stand For The National Anthems For England vs. Wales – Euro 2016

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