Beyoncé Appears to Have Altered "IV" Tattoo

Earlier this week, Beyoncé shared a series of photos and videos on Instagram showing off the outfit she wore for a night out with husband Jay-Z. While most of the Beyhive was busy fawning over her bubblegum pink leather pants, fierce dragon-themed Gucci bag, and sparkly pink Christian Louboutin pumps (which a pajama-clad Blue Ivy briefly tried on), some eagle-eyed fans noticed that Bey appears to have changed one of her most meaningful tattoos.

One of Tuesday's videos features several close-up shots of Beyoncé's hands. And while she presumably included them to give fans a better look at her statement jewelry and perfectly manicured nails, they have the added benefit of offering a clear view of the "IV" that Queen Bey and her husband both had tattooed on their left ring fingers in honor of their 2008 wedding — a moment she revisited in an Instagram post on their ninth anniversary earlier this year. Beyoncé's version of the Roman numeral is now unrecognizable: A line now runs across the top of the "V" to connect it to the "I," which has also been slightly lengthened.

But before you start mourning the end of romance, think again. The alterations don't appear to be evidence of turbulence in the musical pair's relationship. Beyoncé's ink had previously shown signs of fading, so it seems that when she went in for a touch-up, she simply decided to embellish the tat to make it look more like the numeral "4" or the letter "J" (you know, for Jay-Z) — or, perhaps, a combination of both. In fact, an inside source told E! News just last week that "the couple is in the best place they have ever been in their marriage and that their close friends have never seen them so happy or connected like this before."

As members of the Beyhive will recall, Bey and Jay's "IV" tattoos hold a plethora of special significance. They were both born on the fourth day of the month — Beyoncé's birthday is September 4, while Jay-Z's is December 4 — and their anniversary is April 4. Beyoncé's fourth album is titled, fittingly, 4, and Jay-Z's most recent album is called 4:44. As if that wasn't enough, the pair named their first child after their lucky number: Blue's middle name is Ivy, aka "IV." May the fours be with them.

<cite class="credit">beyonce/Instagram</cite>
beyonce/Instagram

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