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All the strange ways people found out about Queen Elizabeth II's death via the internet

What a time to hear the news from a meme account.

Elizabeth de Luna

on September 8, 2022

A photo of the Queen dressed in a blue suit and blue hat against a blue background. Four screenshots of tweets featured in this article have been p laced around her.

Across the internet, people are sharing how they discovered Queen Elizabeth II had passed. Credit: Mashable composite/ Shutterstock

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II is an unprecedented event. The 96-year-old was older than most people ever hope to be, and was both the oldest living monarch (as of 2015) and the second longest-ruling sovereign monarch of all time.

What is also unprecedented is the infinite number of ways people heard about her death. Between official publications and tweets to text messages and even the radio, it is almost impossible to predict where people first learned the news.

We've gathered some of the most surprising ways people found out, from memes to brand tweets.

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From the official British Kebab Awards account:

From an American Girl Doll meme account on Instagram:

From a genuine attempt at flirting:

While just trying getting their groove on:

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At a concert by girl group LOONA in Amsterdam:

From The Onion:

From the Twitter account that posts about all the famous people Liza Minelli has outlived:

Through a Trisha Paytas conspiracy theory:

Via their dad, who is more concerned about whether he'll get to see the next episode of The Great British Bake Off:

Through notorious Instagram gossip site the Shade Room:

From a Destiel meme on Tumblr:

And from iconic British pop duo and twins Jedward, who somehow posted the news one minute before the BBC:

Elizabeth de Luna

Culture Reporter

Elizabeth is a digital culture reporter covering the internet's influence on self-expression, fashion, and fandom. Her work explores how technology shapes our identities, communities, and emotions. Before joining Mashable, Elizabeth spent six years in tech. Her reporting can be found in Rolling Stone, The Guardian, TIME, and Teen Vogue. Follow her on Instagram here.