The Queen Green Dress Memes From Her Coronavirus Speech

published 6 April 2020

After the Internet/Twitter/bored graphics experts made Queen Elizabeth II and Boris Johnson a meme, they're at it again: Her bright green dress during her weekend address about coronavirus made the perfect Photoshop opportunity.
Twitter users swapped out the dress with an Iron Maiden logo, Baby Yoda meme, pictures of adorable animals, and so much more.
Actually, the color was significant for another (more serious) reason.

The fact that the vast majority of tech-savvy people are sitting at home with lots of free time on their hands has led to some truly terrific Internet moments—much needed, honestly, during a pretty scary time. First, it was the Queen and Boris Johnson having a serious phone call that was guaranteed to become a meme the second the Royal Family shared it. And now it's the Queen's lovely, historic address to the UK in a pretty green dress—that happens to be the perfect color for Photoshop experts to put patterns over. (Green screens are used in film production because it doesn't match skin color or, usually, outfits, so a CGI background/effect can be easily "placed" around the person. Which is exactly what people did here.)

It all started when writer/cartoonist Peter Chiykowski (his name now reads "Peter Chiykowski respects the Queen, I promise," lol) called the green dress "the perfect Photoshop bait." "I, for one, would like to thank the Queen for making her royal address and providing the nation with something it sorely needs right now," he added. And then he proceeded to swap out the green dress with a picture of the Queen in glorious tie-dye with a cat meme on it:

I, for one, would like to thank the Queen for making her royal address and providing the nation with something it sorely needs right now...The perfect Photoshop bait... pic.twitter.com/dU0CIATWs1April 5, 2020

And it for sure did not end there. Chiykowski Photoshopped the Queen wearing an Iron Maiden shirt, a Monty Python reference, and even a Baby Yoda meme:

Okay 2020 let's break the Internet pic.twitter.com/dBgi7IgEaeApril 5, 2020

And you can absolutely bet that other Twitter users jumped on the bandwagon in a big way. Seriously, the entire thread is worth a read, but here are a few epic standouts:

The Queen wears the Queen:

Elizabeth II wearing Elizabeth I: pic.twitter.com/7CZXtMYBlRApril 6, 2020

A little Tiger King synergy, right there:

#TigerKingNetflix #CaroleBaskin pic.twitter.com/yYIOOKRyZPApril 6, 2020

If it's not expanding properly for you, her top now reads, "Carole Baskin killed her husband."

Oh my God it's a GIF!!

This canvas speaks to me pic.twitter.com/iWk6FuGsPMApril 6, 2020

Dear lord, the best (the Queen as an interested buyer at a novelty tee shop makes my day):

pic.twitter.com/oNFWIKlecWApril 6, 2020

A couple users (eyeroll) said that Chiykowski's memes were disrespectful, to which he had a pointed, spectacular response:

A few of you said my queenscreen photoshops are disrespectful, and you're right.The Queen is definitely a corgis > cats lady. pic.twitter.com/XmQI5jJ5AoApril 5, 2020

And he also highlighted a couple Queen-supported Soundcloud charities we can donate to, on a more serious note. Slow clap, sir.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.