Paddington Bear: Public asked not to bears and sandwiches

People are being asked not to leave Paddington Bear toys as tributes for the Queen at one location

Lots of people have been have honouring the Queen with tributes following her death last Thursday at the age of 96.

People have laid down flowers, written cards with special messages and been sharing some of their favourite memories of the monarch.

However, members of the public are being asked not to leave gifts at one of the tribute gardens, including Paddington Bear toys and marmalade sandwiches as tributes.

The request has been made by charity the Royal Parks which look after the dedicated site for tributes at Green Park in London. It’s the main location for laying flowers near Buckingham Palace.

“Unfortunately, no gifts and artefacts will be accepted and the public will be asked not to bring these to the parks. Non-floral objects/artefacts such as teddy bears or balloons should not be brought,” the Royal Parks said in a statement on their website.

Instead, people are being asked to leave flowers at the site which have already had the outer wrapping removed. Cards are also permitted.

Why have people been leaving Paddington Bears and marmalade sandwiches?

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We hear what the Queen meant to you

One popular memory of the Queen is a famous sketch in which she sits down with Paddington Bear for afternoon tea.

In the short film, which opened the BBC’s Party at the Palace for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June this year, the famous marmalade sandwich-loving bear is seen at a meeting with Her Majesty which doesn’t quite go to plan – until he later discovers their shared love of his favourite snack!

Many people loved the sketch, including lots of children across the UK.

However, this wasn’t the first time the loveable bear and the Queen had come together. In fact, their friendship goes back more than 30 years.

Paddington Bear spots the Queen in the window

Paddington Bear’s first interaction with the Queen is captured in a book which was written by British author Michael Bond back in 1986.

In the children’s book Paddington at the Palace, Paddington Bear attends a Changing of the Guard ceremony with his friend at Buckingham Palace.

While at the event, Paddington thinks he spots the Queen in the window looking down on the crowds who have gathered for the occasion.

Although he never finds out whether or not it was Her Majesty, the event becomes a special memory for him and he places a photo of his day at the palace in his album.

Paddington Bear shared a tweet following the Queen’s passing which has liked one million times

Paddington at Buckingham Palace

It’s not until 2006 that Paddington Bear sees the Queen once again when he’s invited to the Palace. The fictional character made an appearance at the Children’s Party At The Palace, which was held to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday.

Paddington was in a pantomime called The Queen’s Handbag, where he, along with other famous book and TV characters, was tasked with finding the Queen’s stolen bag.

Without it, Her Majesty wouldn’t be able to make her closing speech at the event as the bag contains her reading glasses.

Paddington and the Queen in pictures

Artist Eleanor Tomlinson’s drawing of Paddington Bear and the Queen has lots of fans

Paddington hasn’t only interacted with the Queen on screen or in books. Artist and illustrator Eleanor Tomlinson created a sketch of the Queen with Paddington Bear earlier this year to mark her 70 years on the throne.

The illustration shows Paddington and the Queen walking hand in hand, with one of the Queen’s corgis beside them.