“Please look after these bears”: Camilla helps Paddington bears find their new homes
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today, The Queen Consort delivered hundreds of Paddington bears and cuddly toys to children who are supported by <a href="https://twitter.com/barnardos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@barnardos</a>.</p>
<p>Take a look at their journey to their loving new homes ⬇️<a href="https://t.co/hJE3uf39B0">https://t.co/hJE3uf39B0</a></p>
<p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1595840343664115716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The royal also revealed that she “loves mess” and told the kids to look after their new friends.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“It has been a pleasure to find a home for these bears - please look after them carefully,” she said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Camilla was also joined by members of the cast of the <em>Paddington </em>film, Hugh Bonneville and Madeleine Harris, as well as Karen Jenkel, whose father Michael Bond wrote the Paddington series of books for her.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We’ve had a lovely stay at Clarence House and Buckingham Palace (doing our best to keep out of mischief…)</p>
<p>Looking forward to arriving at our new homes next week!</p>
<p>🔗 <a href="https://t.co/ziDWQhFZtK">https://t.co/ziDWQhFZtK</a> <a href="https://t.co/PmZy5c8moh">pic.twitter.com/PmZy5c8moh</a></p>
<p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1593575755715420164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">“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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Looking forward to arriving at our new homes next week!”</p>
<p dir="ltr">The decision to donate the bears to Barnados, which Camilla is a patron of, <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/what-will-happen-to-the-thousands-of-paddington-bears-left-for-the-queen">was announced last month</a> with the release of a sweet photo of the Queen Consort surrounded by Paddington bears.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
<p dir="ltr">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.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>
