Queen Elizabeth II was a monarch and a mother, but her list of special titles didn't stop there.
To a lucky group, she was affectionately known as Granny. A grandmother to eight and great-grandmother to another 12, Queen Elizabeth II's legacy extends far beyond the four kids she welcomed with late husband Prince Philip: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. As the world mourns the death of the longest-reigning British monarch, who passed away on Sept. 8 at 96 years old after 70 years on the throne, the bond she shared with the next generations of her family has not gone unnoticed.
The tributes pouring in echo many of the comments her grandkids have shared publicly about her over the years, including future king Prince William, who previously hailed her courage for taking on the role of a lifetime nearly seven decades ago.
"At the time, she was a woman in a man's world stepping into what everyone thought...only a man could do. I think she really carved her own way in that sense and produced an incredible amount of courage to do the job and to step up to the plate," William told Katie Couric in 2012. "She's not let herself or anyone down in the process. There's such scrutiny on the job that I think you have to be very, very careful how you carve your path, but she's done it brilliantly."
While her grandkids have recognized her as a leader, a listener and a style icon, ultimately, she was their beloved grandmother. See some of Queen Elizabeth's most precious moments with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren over the years, and hear all they've had to say about her below:
Queen Elizabeth II's legacy extends to 12 great-grandchildren, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter, Lilibet, which was the queen's family nickname.
"Thank you for your dedication and love for us all," Princess Eugenie wrote in memory of Prince Philip, "and especially Granny, who we will look after for you."
For her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, Princess Beatrice wore a Norman Hartnell gown her grandmother first wore in 1962. Beatrice paired the dress with the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara, which Queen Elizabeth II wore on her own wedding day in 1947.
"My grandmother asked us what Archie wanted for Christmas and Meg said a waffle maker," Prince Harry told James Corden in 2021. "She sent us a waffle maker for Archie."
"She listens. She's a very good listener, so if you do ever have problems, you can share them with her and she will listen and she will try and help," Prince William told Katie Couric in 2012. "But otherwise, she sort of lets you get on with your own life and carve your own path and your successes are your successes and your failures are your failures, but she'll be there to help."
"Lots of my friends say, 'Oh, she's just the best style person there is,'" Princess Eugenie said in The Queen at 90. "She looks great in her clothes. The style is something that is very unique to her. Elegant, classic. She's got wonderful happy color to her at all times. I think that's the word: happy."
"I still think she's just my grandmother really. I'm probably a bit of a cheeky grandson like my brother as well," Prince William told Katie Couric in 2012. "I just remember always having a healthy respect for my grandmother more so than others."