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.
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.
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.
