Tributes poured in for the late Queen Elizabeth II to mark the second anniversary of her death on Sunday.
Her former daughter-in-law, Sarah, Duchess of York, was among the relatives to remember the late Queen on the poignant day, and she shared a sweet and unexpected fact about the monarch.
The author, 64, posted images on her Instagram Stories of one of her most beloved characters from her children’s books, Little Red, wearing a white cotton dress, adorned with a red sash and ladybirds.
Perched on top of the doll’s head was a bespoke straw hat with a matching sash and ladybird detailing.
“For the anniversary of Her Late Majesty The Queen’s passing I asked Stella McLaren, Her Majesty’s hat maker and milliner to make a little outfit for Little Red to wear, as I believe it’s so important to keep memories in all different ways,” Sarah wrote.
“Stella was delighted to honour Her Late Majesty The Queen, whom Stella misses so much. You will notice the ladybirds, which Her Late Majesty The Queen absolutely loved. I encourage people to donate whatever they can to any of the many charities associated with Her Late Majesty The Queen.”
Sarah’s tribute came just hours after King Charles and Queen Camilla shared a beautiful photograph of the late Queen in a pink coat and a hat by Stella at a Buckingham Palace garden party in 2019.
The Instagram caption read: “Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022.”
The King and Queen also attended a private church service at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral on Sunday morning.
Charles, 75, has been staying on his Aberdeenshire estate in the Highlands, where the late Queen died peacefully at the age of 96 on 8 September 2022.
He faced a personally challenging second year as sovereign, marked by the difficult double health blow of his cancer diagnosis and that of his daughter-in-law the Princess of Wales.
Tributes were paid to the late Queen to mark the anniversary, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailing the “70 glorious years of her reign”.
“Today marks two years since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II,” Sir Keir said in a message posted on social media.
“The late Queen’s dedication to the UK and Commonwealth taught us that whatever challenges our country faces, the value of service always endures.
“For the 70 glorious years of her reign, she was at the heart of this nation’s life. Today we honour her memory.”
