Entertainment
Published Apr 20, 2016
By Amy Goldman
Splash News
Her Majesty is certainly a bold and complicated woman (yes, we're all caught up onThe Crown). It's not easy being queen! So let's take a look at the side of her we rarely see in the media -- her softer, easier side. We've rounded up plenty of photos and anecdotes that prove the queen is nothing like the stuffy, unsmiling stereotype she's sometimes portrayed as. She actually smiles -- that's right. And if one looks real fast, Queen Elizabeth even has her moments that make us say, "awwwwww."
More from CafeMom:18 Times Queen Elizabeth Looked Pretty Annoyed With Kate Middleton
As the longest-reigning English monarch and a devoted grandmother, this is one queen who shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And this royal is always on the move! Between her royal duties (which she still attends to), meeting with foreign dignitaries, and watching over her grandchildren George and Charlotte -- the queen has a full schedule! And while we admire her notorious stoicism, we kinda like it better when the queen lets loose and shows us her fun side. What better way to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II than by taking a look at some of her most charming moments? Keep reading to relive 20 times the queen stole our hearts!
More from CafeMom:11 Times It Was Clear How Much the Royals Respect Queen Elizabeth II
Yep, it's true: Queen E is total #grandmagoals.
1/20
World's Best Great-Grandmum
Kate shared some details about the queen's adoration of her great-grandchildren for an ITV documentary celebrating her 90th birthday. "The queen is very fond of Charlotte and takes an interest in what she gets up to," Kate said."Every time we stay with her, she leaves a little gift for George and Charlotte in their rooms. I think that just goes to show her love for [George and Charlotte] and for the family."
2/20
A Queen of Many Accents
According to her first cousin, Margaret Rhodes, the queen has quite the sense of humor. "She can tell very funny stories of things that have happened to her where things might have gone just a fraction wrong," Margaret shared in an interview with BBC Radio 4. She added that the queen is "a very, very good mimic." Want further proof? "She can do the Norfolk and Scottish -- Aberdeenshire -- accents beautifully and often pretends to be a keeper or somebody or other of them," Margaret said.
3/20
Seeing Is Believing
"I have to be seen to be believed," the queen once said. She truly embodies this philosophy through frequent public appearances and charity work. The queen is pictured here attending the Gold Service Scholarship awards.
More from The Stir: 20 Reasons It's Pretty Darn Cool to Be Queen Elizabeth
4/20
Her Strength & Stay
It's clear that the queen and Prince Philip are still very much in love after all of these years. Their relationship might best be summed up by a quote from the queen's 1997 speech in honor of their golden anniversary: "He has quite simply been my strength and stay all these years, and I and his whole family and this and many other countries owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know."
5/20
Shopping With the Ladies
The queen looked thrilled when she stepped out to visit a shop with Kate and Camilla. We wish we could have been there to witness these ladies shopping together. Perhaps the queen picked out some nice collars for her corgis.
6/20
Join in the Fun
In her Christmas Day broadcast last year, the queen gave her new great-granddaughter a sweet shout-out. "One of the joys of living a long life is watching one's children, then grandchildren, then great-grandchildren, help decorate the Christmas tree," she said."And this year my family has a new member to join in the fun!"
More from The Stir: 20 Times Queen Elizabeth Dared to Wear Bold Colors
7/20
Listen Up, Boys
Only the queen could so effortlessly chat up some rugby players with a wine glass in hand. We'd love some pointers from HRH on how to appear so nonchalant while talking to handsome professional athletes.
8/20
The Convening Strength of Friendship
When the queen gave a speech in honor of her Diamond Jubilee, she made an empowering statement that celebrated unity and hope. "In this special year, as I dedicate myself anew to your service, I hope we will all be reminded of the power of togetherness and the convening strength of family, friendship, and good neighbourliness, examples of which I have been fortunate to see throughout my reign and which my family and I look forward to seeing in many forms as we travel throughout the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth," she said.
9/20
Cheers
The queen looked especially glamorous when she dined with the Chinese president Xi Jinping at a state banquet. We love that she's toasting him with what looks to be water in a wine glass. Maybe hydration has something to do with why she's so healthy at 90.
More from The Stir: 20 of Queen Elizabeth's Most Noteworthy Moments
10/20
Hanging With the Youths
Like all the best grandmums, the queen never looks happier than when she's interacting with children. She made a few new acquaintances at the Commonwealth Day celebration last month.
11/20
Even Queens Can Be Fangirls
The queen looks to be just as excited about meeting Damien Lewis as we would be. He's our second favorite English ginger, after all. Don't worry, Harry, no one can ever take your place in our hearts.
12/20
Bearing Is Caring
When the queen visited hospice patients and staff earlier this year at The Norfolk Hospice, she shared a heartfelt moment with a boy who lost his mother to cancer.He presented the queen with teddy bears to give to Charlotte and George on behalf of the charity Nelson's Journey.
More from The Stir:
13/20
In the Name of Science
The queen won us over during her visit to the Lister Community School as she appeared to try very hard to understand a precocious student's chemistry demonstration. We think Bill Nye would approve.
14/20
Invested in Education
The queen never fails to impress us with her commitment to charity work, like when she hosted a poetry workshop for a group of students at Buckingham Palace.
15/20
A Horse, of Course
The queen looked delighted while making a new friend at the opening of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey last year. A longtime equine enthusiast, she was spotted horseback riding as recently as last year.
16/20
That's Very Interesting, George
It was clear from the queen's interactions with George at the Trooping of the Colour Ceremony that she takes everything her grandson says very seriously. We'd like to imagine the queen replied with something along the lines of, "Quite right, George. The corgis do have big, floofy ears."
More from The Stir: 14 Embarrassing Scandals the Royal Family Will Never Live Down
17/20
Dressed to Kill
We loved the delighted little grin the queen gave photographers at a recent event. It was clear she knew just how fetching she looked in her lilac-colored ensemble.
18/20
A Pocket Full of Posies
The queen proves time and time again that she's just as skilled as Kate when it comes to holding pretty bouquets of flowers and meeting adorable young fans. Not that we ever doubted her.
19/20
Forever Young
See what we mean? The queen looked happy as could be at the Royal Maundy Service at St. George's Chapel.
More from The Stir: 9 Beautiful Things the Royal Family Said About Princess Diana
20/20
Deep Thoughts
The queen shared a picture-perfect moment with her great-grandson at Charlotte's christening. George probably had some pressing political commentary to share with his granny, perhaps about the bizarre state of the presidential race over in the states.
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