“Please look after these bears”: Camilla helps Paddington bears find their new homes
The thousands of Paddington bears left in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II are finally finding their new homes, with Queen Consort Camilla describing it as a “pleasure” to be involved in the process.
With the bears slated to be given to the children’s charity Barnados, Camilla delivered the fuzzy stuffed toys to the charity with a convoy of electric taxis through the London Taxi Driver’s Charity for Children.
Today, The Queen Consort delivered hundreds of Paddington bears and cuddly toys to children who are supported by @barnardos.
Take a look at their journey to their loving new homes ⬇️https://t.co/hJE3uf39B0
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 24, 2022
During her visit to Bow day nursery in east London, where they held a special teddy bear’s picnic, complete with marmalade sandwiches, Camilla gave bears to children at the nursery, who are among more than a thousand recipients of the bears and toys left outside the Queen’s residences.
The royal also revealed that she “loves mess” and told the kids to look after their new friends.
“It has been a pleasure to find a home for these bears - please look after them carefully,” she said.
Camilla was also joined by members of the cast of the Paddington film, Hugh Bonneville and Madeleine Harris, as well as Karen Jenkel, whose father Michael Bond wrote the Paddington series of books for her.
At the end of her visit to the Bow nursery, Camilla was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a thank-you note by carer Leighann Ives and three-year-old Serena Wicks.
In the lead-up to the delivery of the bears, the royal family shared sweet updates on the toys, including their antics at the royal residences.
“We’ve had a lovely stay at Clarence House and Buckingham Palace (doing our best to keep out of mischief…),” the royal family wrote on social media, sharing a series of photos of a Paddington bear in different spots around the palace.
“Looking forward to arriving at our new homes next week!”
The decision to donate the bears to Barnados, which Camilla is a patron of, was announced last month with the release of a sweet photo of the Queen Consort surrounded by Paddington bears.
The bears were collected from outside the gates of the royal residences by 200 volunteers, who loaded the toys into wagons drawn by grey Shire horses.
So many of the bears, along with other toys, flowers, and marmalade sandwiches, were left by mourners that the Royal Park urged members of the public to stop.
Image: Getty Images