Buckingham Palace Honors Queen Elizabeth with Stunning Portrait (And One Subtle Detail Says It All)

Today marks the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing. The late monarch died on Thursday, September 8, 2022, at the age of 96, during what was already a historic year—her unprecedented Platinum Jubilee. She passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a place she cherished deeply.

Buckingham Palace also acknowledged the anniversary with a truly stunning portrait of Queen Elizabeth shared on social media. In the photo, the Queen is seen wearing a vibrant blue top and matching hat, accessorized with a gorgeous brooch featuring adeep blue stone. But one subtle detail stood out the most: her smile—it's bright, warm and full of life.

“Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, 1926–2022,” the Palace captioned the photo.

Three years on, tributes are still pouring in to honor her remarkable legacy. Prince Harry—who’s currently in the UK for the WellChild Awards—paid his respects privately by visiting his grandmother’s burial site, where he laid a wreath of flowers in her memory. Meanwhile, Prince William and Kate Middleton reposted Buckingham Palace's post to their Instagram Stories in addition to making a visit to a location that held special meaning for the Queen: the Women’s Institute in Sunningdale.

For context, the Women’s Institute is a community-based organization for women in the UK, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. Queen Elizabeth’s involvement in the WI spanned decades.

Alongside photos from their visit, they wrote, “Visiting the @womensinstitute in Sunningdale today to celebrate and commemorate Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the three-year anniversary of her death.”

“The WI holds a special connection to Her Late Majesty, who was a member for 80 years, joining in 1943 and serving as President of the Sandringham WI from 2003 until her death in 2022,” the caption continued. “Very special opportunity to hear from members today about the importance of The Late Queen’s involvement in the organisation and meet those who met with her during her reign.”

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