The late Queen Elizabeth and Paddington Bear had a very special relationship — one so deep that one man even got their bond tattooed on himself.
An anonymous man in Benidorm, Spain inked a graphic of the Queen and Paddington on Monday as a tribute to Her Majesty, who passed away on Sept. 8 at the age of 96 after seven decades of service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
The picture showed a corgi, the blue raincoat-donning teddy and the back of the Queen 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 tattoo 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.
The sweet ink featured Paddington walking with the Queen and her corgi.Jon Malvern / SWNS“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 Queen’s funeral is set to commence on Sept. 19, and some stores around the United Kingdom will be closed 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 made a 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 the Queen after her passing, tweeting: “Thank you Ma’am, for everything.”
Mourners have even been leaving stuffed Paddington’s 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.
