The nation has entered a mourning period to honour Queen Elizabeth II, who died at the age of 96 on Thursday evening. The longest-serving monarch passed away peacefully at Balmoral - her much-loved Scottish estate where she was said to feel most at home. Tributes for The Queen have poured in from across the globe, while people pay their respects at royal landmarks across the UK. King Charles III made a historic address to the nation on Friday evening, before being formally announced as the nation's new sovereign today.
Few public figures touched the hearts of the nation like Her Majesty The Queen, as many tenderly describe her as the 'country's grandma' - but she did hold a very special friendship with another national treasure: Sir David Attenborough.
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The royal family's relationship with the double-knighted broadcaster stretches far beyond recognising his incredible work. The Queen was the same age as the lauded environmentalist - in fact, they were born just weeks apart, and enjoyed a kindred relationship with many special moments.
Breaking his silence on the beloved monarch's passing, Sir David released a statement on Friday where he remembered The Queen's "most precious laugh" adding that "the whole nation is bereaved".
The veteran presenter said: "If there was a technical hitch, she wanted to know what it was, and if it had a funny side, she was quick to see the joke.
"Yet not for one second could you forget that you were in the presence of someone who had willingly accepted enormous responsibility and dedicated her life to serving the nation – that you were, in short, in the presence of royalty."
We take a look back at The Queen's friendship with David Attenborough through the years, from discussing their fond love of nature to Sir David picking out an outfit for Her Majesty.
Both born in London., the wildlife expert's birthday is just weeks after The Queen's, as she was born on 21 April and Attenborough soon followed on 8 May.
Sir David first met the royals during his time working at the BBC, a career he pursued before becoming an environmental broadcaster. When they were just children, the now-King Charles III and Princess Anne toured the BBC Television Studios in Lime Grove.
Upon meeting Attenborough during the visit, the broadcaster introduced the royal siblings to his three-year-old cockatoo named "Cocky".
In 1969 when Sir David was a BBC controller, he expressed grave concern over the royal family's ground-breaking documentary, plainly titled "The Royal Family".
The BBC film gave an unusually candid look at the royal's lives, as the curtain was pulled back to film inside Buckingham Palace.
According to royal expert Ingrid Seward, Sir David was worried about how the documentary may impact the public's perception of the royals.
She alleged in her book, The Queen and Di: The Untold Story, that the anthropologist told the BBC director: "You're killing the monarchy, you know, with this film you’re making".
He then expanded in a letter, writing “The whole institution depends on mystique and the tribal chief in his hut.
"If any member of the tribe ever sees inside the hut, then the whole system of the tribal chiefdom is damaged and the tribe eventually disintegrates".
Luckily the royal family's reputation remained intact following the film, and Sir David's relationship with The Queen continued to flourish.
The environmentalist was knighted by The Queen in 1985 for his contributions to television.
They continued a close working relationship as Sir David helped the monarch with her Christmas addresses between 1986 and 1991.
The pair enjoyed a decades-long friendship as they often laughed together and spoke about nature and family life.
One particularly memorable moment was Attenborough picking out The Queen's dress for a broadcast - it didn't go down well with the monarch.
Her Majesty had allegedly selected an acid green outfit, which Attenborough swapped for a brown look.
Renowned for her love of bright garments, according to Hello!, she said: "There is no pleasing you people from the media. I am told by one lot that I have to wear something colourful so I can be seen in a crowd - and then you come along and tell me I have to wear something pale and nondescript".
Luckily the Queen took this sartorial advice lightly, as their friendship continued throughout the years that followed. Sir David was given an Order or Merit in 2005, three decades after The Queen knighted him.
In 2016, the broadcaster honoured The Queen's 90th birthday by giving a reading at a service in St Paul's cathedral.
Sir David read a passage by Michael Bond, the author of the Paddington Bear series - one that has become synonymous with the late Queen.
Later that year, the veteran broadcaster was seen sharing laughs and enjoying each other's company with the monarch at an event celebrating the Queen's Commonwealth Canopy - a charity dedicated to protecting forests.
In a speech that evening, Sir David expressed his admiration for The Queen's initiative, which was founded the year before: "We are fortunate that you are still thinking about the future and how to make this a better world".
One of the most candid moments between the two figures was during filming for the monarch's 2017 documentary, The Queen's Green Planet .
The pair were seen walking the luscious grounds of Buckingham palace, pausing to joke with each other and share family anecdotes.
The Queen noted that one of her plants "wasn't doing very well," joking that someone had sat on it during one of her garden parties.
Sir David was seen chuckling away at The Queen's humorous remarks as they strolled side by side.
In a moment that now feels painfully sombre, the Queen shows Attenborough the trees she planted for all her children in the sweeping gardens.
When the broadcaster tells the monarch "there will be all kinds of different trees going here in another 50 years maybe," the Queen agrees, but admits "I won't be here though".
In 2022, Attenborough received his second Knighthood from Prince Charles for his contributions to television and conservation.
This weekend, the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror celebrate the life of Her Majesty the Queen with a commemorative special filled with all the key moments from Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Be sure to pick up your copy of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror to get both pullouts.
