Tuesday was a very special day for members of the royal family as it marked what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.
The day was celebrated by the senior members of the Firm with a series of special events throughout London, which included the opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent's Park as well as a viewing of the final drawings of a memorial dedicated to the late monarch at the British Museum.
While all eyes were on the royals as they stepped out to honour the late Queen, it was impossible to overlook the striking array of more unconventional tributes to Elizabeth.
Pearls of wisdom
Honouring the late Queen's love of pearls, while attending a reception at Buckingham Palace, the Princess of Wales was just one royal who honoured her grandmother-in-law's love of pearls, wearing a pair of beautiful pearl earrings.
© Getty ImagesThe pair in question were the Bahrain pearl drop earrings, created by the then Princess Elizabeth from a cache of seven pearls, which she received as a wedding present in 1947 from the Hakim of Bahrain. The decadent jewels were long held as some of Queen Elizabeth II’s most treasured belongings. Kate also donned a beautiful pink dress, honouring the Queen's appreciation for bright colours.
The Princess of Wales also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth by wearing Her Majesty's much-loved three-strand pearl necklace for the occasion. It was one of a number of three-strand pearl necklaces owned by Her Majesty and was believed to be the same one Kate wore in the days after the Queen's death in September 2022.
© Getty ImagesMeanwhile, the Queen's daughter, the Princess Royal, wore a pair of the late Queen's pearls while attending the opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Garden in Regent's Park.
Sartorial tributes
More tributes of the satorial variety were worn by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh while attending the British Museum to view the final drawings of a memorial dedicated to the late monarch.
© Getty ImagesAs they made their way up the famous steps in the British capital, the royal couple showed off their sweet equestrian-themed outfits.
Duchess Sophie chose the elegant white shirt dress by Gabriela Hearst, adorned with a pattern of riding boots honouring the late Queen's love of horses. Meanwhile, Prince Edward too opted for an equine tribute, wearing a red tie covered in horses.
Paddington
Everybody's favourite bear and known close friend of her late Majesty, Paddington, made headlines during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, when the character was involved in a sketch.
During the clip, broadcast to the country, Paddington and the Queen enjoyed afternoon tea together, and to honour Her Majesty's centenary, the moment was honoured with a new bear by toy brand Steiff.
© ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST/ BAV MEDIAThe scene, which was recreated with the new soft bear, mimics the moment the Queen revealed she kept marmalade sandwiches - Paddington’s favourite treat - in her handbag.
The stunt, which took place at Newby Hall, saw a soft toy of Paddington positioned having tea with the special edition Queen Elizabeth II Steiff teddy bear, which wears one of the late Queen’s most recognisable outfits, a lime green coat with matching hat, pearl necklace and handbag.
The bears are limited to just 4,996, a nod to the late Queen living to 96 years old, and are priced at £289 each. They are individually numbered and presented in a souvenir bag, with coloured embroidery on the soles of their feet in honour of the special milestone.
Emma immortalised
One of the most touching tributes from the late Queen's special milestone was one that no doubt would have been very close to her heart.
It's hard to forget Elizabeth's beloved fell pony, Emma, who, draped in an Hermés scarf, watched the Queen's coffin make its way down the Long Walk in Windsor.
© Photo: Getty Images
But, now, in honour of her devoted owner's centenary, Emma has been immortalised in the form of a rocking horse. The Stevenson Brothers, run by twins Marc and Tony, who refer to themselves as the world's finest rocking horse makers, create hand-crafted designs in the style of traditional Victorian craftsmen.
Stevenson Rocking Horses were commissioned six times by Queen Elizabeth II, and a contribution of the profits from the sale of this newest piece will be donated to the Fell Pony Society, where the late Queen served as patron before the position was inherited by King Charles.
