Much of the world is divided in their response to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died September 8 at the age of 96, ending her 70-year reign as Britain's longest reigning monarch.
But the Queen—and the royal family by extension—have remained controversial figures, particularly in recent years as more and more people question whether the monarchy has lost its relevance.
In the wake of her death, a video of the late celebrity chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain's hilariously blunt reaction to someone toasting the Queen has resurfaced.
The footage from Season 11, Episode 3 of Parts Unknown featured Bourdain traipsing through Newfoundland. While he sat in Raymond’s Restaurant in St. John’s, at a table with fellow chefs David McMillan and Frédéric Morin, a fellow diner raised their glass of wine "to the Queen," which prompted Bourdain to respond:
"No, I hate the aristocracy, man.”
You can watch the moment below.
\u201cReason No.7228 why Anthony Bourdain is the greatest\u201d— Simon Rowntree (@Simon Rowntree) 1608134380
The reaction online showed that the late Bourdain, who died by suicide in 2018, was right on the money, at least as far as social media users were concerned.
\u201cJust a reminder that one of my favorite late heroes, Anthony Bourdain, didn't respect the Queen either. Think for yourself. Screw the imperialist media narrative.\u201d— MaxDamage9999 \ud83e\uddd9\ud83c\udffd"Mad Sorcerer"\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd (@MaxDamage9999 \ud83e\uddd9\ud83c\udffd"Mad Sorcerer"\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd) 1662916930
\u201cVery much my energy today with respect to news out of the UK\u201d— Richmond Eustis (@Richmond Eustis) 1662727264
\u201cFrom dissing aristocracy to pissing off dictators, Bourdain\u201d— Artyom Tonoyan \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f (@Artyom Tonoyan \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f) 1662753893
\u201cI was literally thinking about "what would Anthony Bourdain think of the queen's death" and last RTs affirmed what I felt would be true.\u201d— It's Eros Bitch \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83d\udc6f\u200d\u2642\ufe0f (@It's Eros Bitch \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\u26a7\ufe0f\ud83d\udc6f\u200d\u2642\ufe0f) 1662685088
\u201cThat Anthony Bourdain clip where he refuses to toast to the queen really shows why he was the coolest man to ever appear on the Food Network\u201d— logo, the ham bunder (@logo, the ham bunder) 1662814621
\u201cthat time when Anthony Bourdain couldn't hide his disgust after his table company toasted with the words "to the queen" \ud83d\udc80\ud83d\udc80\ud83d\udc80\u201d— \ud83c\udf38 cherry blossom girl \ud83c\udf38 (@\ud83c\udf38 cherry blossom girl \ud83c\udf38) 1662655288
\u201cBourdain was one of a kind.\u201d— Johnny O (@Johnny O) 1662859983
\u201cNo one should toast a monarch or the idea of monarchy if they believe in the principles of a democratic society. It\u2019s just a gussied up hereditary dictatorship stripped of power legitimating the upper classes and their grip on political and economic power.\u201d— Jonah Owen Lamb (@Jonah Owen Lamb) 1662737671
\u201cAnthony said \u201cnah playa hold on\u201d lmao. Toasting to some BS is a no no\u201d— ERI | Karate Skool (@ERI | Karate Skool) 1662727264
The Queen had been in declining health for some time, but the world responded in shock when Buckingham Palace, the London royal residence and administrative headquarters for the monarchy, announced she was under medical supervision at Balmoral Castle after doctors expressed concern and, a very short while later, confirmed she had passed.
Queen Elizabeth died just months after her Platinum Jubilee, which celebrated her 70 years on the throne.
The news of her passing came just two days after meeting Liz Truss, who won the 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, becoming the U.K.'s newest Prime Minister after Boris Johnson resigned amid a government crisis.
The Queen, long known and respected for her stateliness and vigor, saw her health sharply decline after her husband, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, died at the age of 99 in April 2021.
The Queen's son, Charles III, is now the King of the U.K. and the 14 Commonwealth realms since the death of his mother, though his ascension has done little, if anything, to endear him to the British public. Questions about the future and relevance of the monarchy persist, particularly as none of the royals enjoy even a hint of the late Queen's popularity.
