An uninvited guest at Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral has rapidly shot to fame on the World Wide Web after making their unexpected appearance during the grand proceedings.
Although the gate-crashing guest wasn't in formal funeral attire, they can probably be excused - it would be difficult to find a suit that fits eight legs, to be fair.
The small spider stole the spotlight during the late Queen's elaborate state funeral on Monday, making its fleeting but famed cameo atop the monarch's coffin.
The gate-crashing critter hitched a ride to the service as eight pallbearers carried the Queen's coffin to Westminster Abbey, with eagle-eyed viewers spotting the spider scuttling across a note written by the Queen's eldest son and Britain's new monarch, King Charles III.
The note had been placed among the wreath of flowers and foliage upon the coffin, bearing the short and simple message: "In loving and devoted memory. Charles R."
The spider eventually scurried from sight before presumably burrowing itself in the wreath, never to be seen again. But its cameo appearance proved popular among viewers, quickly netting a web of adoring fans. Many took to Twitter to applaud the spider's brief foray into the spotlight - talk about 15 seconds of fame - with one superfan even establishing an account for 'The Royal Spider'.
"The most famous spider in the world right now," one joked, with a second adding: "Er, were you invited, mate?"
"God save the Royal Spider," another quipped.
Others even compared the spider to the fly that famously landed on the head of former US vice president Mike Pence during a televised debate in 2020, while several more couldn't help but conjure up various narratives behind the spider's surprise arrival.
"Imagine you're a spider in the garden and you fall asleep in a pink rose," one quipped. "When you wake up, you stretch all your little legs and realise you're suddenly naked in Westminster Abbey, on top of the Queen's coffin in front of world leaders and billions of people."
The spider made a last-minute addition to the Queen's coffin, which was adorned with the dazzling Imperial State Crown and a stunning and symbolic wreath of flowers, featuring rosemary for remembrance; English oak for the strength of love; and myrtle, a plant that symbolises a happy marriage.
The grand funeral concluded when Queen Elizabeth reached her final resting place at Windsor Castle, where she was buried beside her husband of more than 70 years, Prince Philip, who died aged 99 on April 9, 2021.
King Charles III ascended the throne upon his mother's death on September 8, marking the end of the longest reign in British history. The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, aged 96, following a period of declining health.
