celebrity

The story behind the photo of the shocked grandmother on Beyonce's Instagram.

Even from afar, we were wrapped up in the wonder that was Beyonce at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night.

Her fascinator. Her daughter Blue Ivy’s spectacular shushing. And, of course, her goddess-like Instagram curation.

But there was one woman who saw the magic up close and now, she’s shared what it’s like as a mere moral to meet Queen Bey herself.

Who is she and how did she arrive in possession of such knowledge?

You will remember her for her shocked, priceless, says-it-all expression in this image posted by Beyonce at the end of the awards night.

This woman’s real name – when she’s not running into A-list celebrities in elevators – is Susan Monaghan.

Beyonce. Via Instagram.
Beyonce's Instagram post.
ADVERTISEMENT

She is from a small township called Shrewsbury in New Jersey, and was in New York on January 28 watching her granddaughter compete in a gymnastics competition and celebrating her own daughter's birthday.

How, you ask, did she cross paths with pop culture royalty?

Minding her own business, Monaghan was on her way back to her room at the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel after dinner.

Suddenly, she was forced to flatten herself against a wall to let a swarm of photographers and security detail pass through the hallway.

That's when she saw Beyonce and Jay Z.

How do you go about announcing your pregnancy in a world where Beyonce and Zoe Foster Blake have set the bar so high? We discuss, on our podcast for imperfect parents.

"I was like 'Oh, my God!'" Monaghan told the Boston Globe. "I looked at her and all I could think was, ‘No one is going to believe me. No one is going to believe me'."

Possibly still showing signs of shock, the grandmother said when Beyonce smiled it felt like she was being "hugged by an angel". As you do.

But the Lemonade singer didn't stop with a smile.

After hearing Monaghan's fears that she would never be believed - because let's face it, she probably wouldn't have - the Queen told her: "Don't worry, it's going to be okay".

And that is why Monaghan thinks Beyonce posted the picture that shows her in the background, her mouth agape.

"I think she posted it for me,” Monaghan said about the now-viral picture. “So people would believe me."

Well played, Monaghan. Very, very well played.

00:00 / ???