In recent years, we seem to have moved away from the idea that tattoos, permanent or not, need to be meaningful.
That being said, many people still use tattoos to commemorate big occasions, friendships, relationships and, often, the lives of their loved ones.
It was only a matter of time, then, before someone got a tattoo of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who has been referred to as ‘the nation’s grandmother’, following her death last Thursday.
Graham Wilson, 54, spent £1,400 and 14 hours to get the leg tattoo, which depicts the Queen as both a young and old woman.
He booked to get the tattoo the day she died, after hearing of a cancellation at his favourite tattoo parlour.
‘I absolutely love it,’ said Graham, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, of his tattoo.
‘I loved the Queen, you could really relate to her no matter who you are,’ he added.
‘She’s iconic and I just wanted to pay homage to her.’
He got the idea for his tattoo instantly and, after hearing about the cancellation, he knew it was ‘meant to be’.
Graham, a digger driver, got the tattoo over two seven-hour sessions. Eventually, he wants to add a union jack to the background of the image.
Tattooist Beth Maddox, 29, felt honoured to be asked to do the work.
Queen Elizabeth II dead: Latest updates
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‘I’m chuffed to bits with it,’ she said.
‘It was nerve-wracking to do something so iconic, especially while everyone’s emotions are high.
‘And, of course, everybody knows her so that’s frightening.’
She added that she took lots of breaks and was as careful as possible.
‘No matter how long you’ve been tattooing you always want to get it right,’ she commented, adding that she is ‘really pleased’ with the finished product.
Graham’s wife, Michelle Croft, 53, is also happy with Beth’s work, saying: ‘This is going to be his showpiece tattoo.
‘We both love the Queen, we both love Windsor.
‘We’ve always been interested in everything she does.
‘We’ve followed every engagement and anniversary of hers.’
She adds that Graham ‘loves a keepsake’ and said a tattoo was more reliable than a picture, which could be lost or broken.
‘This will be with him all the time and wherever he goes,’ says Michelle.
‘I love his tattoos, and I think this one is amazing, and he’s amazing for doing it.
‘The Queen deserves all the credit she’s getting and so much more.
‘She was the rock of Britain.’
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