Credit: Neil P. Mockford/Getty Images
Under Her Eye
The Queen and Paddington Bear: the fascinating history behind the monarch’s connection to the beloved bear
3 years ago
2 min read
In the wake of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the much-loved cultural icon Paddington Bear has become a symbol of national mourning. But when did the royal connection first begin?
Across the unprecedented wave of tributes and homages to Queen Elizabeth II following her passing at the age of 96 on 8 September, there has been one figure amongst it all that has stood out almost as much as the monarch herself: the familiar and beloved character of Paddington Bear.
On the surface of things, it indeed seems like an unlikely connection. But while it might at first seem strange piecing together the connection between one of the longest reigning monarchs in history and an adored childhood character, the history between the pair has actually unfolded across decades.
Paddington Bear, for those who don’t know, is a scrappy and widely-loved character created by Michael Bond, who came up with the idea for the famous bear when working as a cameraman at the BBC in 1956. Following the publication of the first Paddington book, A Bear Called Paddington, in 1958, Paddington has become the nation’s favourite characterful animal and a beloved national mascot.
The books have since sold more than 35 million copies worldwide and have been translated across the world, making Paddington an international sensation.
Perhaps what is most charming about Paddington is his endearing backstory, which explores Paddington’s origins from his homeland of Peru to his arrival in London where he was found by the Brown family at Paddington station. There is a simple but unforgettable iconography that comes with the bear: his blue raincoat, red hat, and of course, his love of marmalade sandwiches.
The loveable, clumsy brown bear has also become the star of a beloved film franchise: voiced by British star Ben Whishaw, he takes on live-action adventures with the Brown family. The films achieved massive success with audiences and box office figures alike, with the first instalment earning $282 million worldwide, followed by the sequel which brought in $227 million.
But what does Paddington have to do with the Queen?
It can all be traced back to 1986, when Michael Bond wrote Paddington At The Palace. In the story, Paddington Bear goes to Buckingham Palace, waves a Union Jack flag, gets to see the Queen’s Guard, and even supposedly spots Queen Elizabeth II herself through a window.
Paddington would visit the palace again in 2006, this time for a pantomime called The Queen’s Handbag, which took place as part of the children’s party at the palace as part of the Queen’s 80th birthday celebrations.
The most recent collaboration came this year as part of a tribute for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In a comedy sketch to launch her televised Jubilee concert, Paddington and Queen Elizabeth II sit down in Buckingham Palace together, sharing afternoon tea, some bear-induced clumsy chaos, and naturally, marmalade sandwiches. Now considered one of the most memorable parts of the Jubilee celebrations, the video has just over 10.2 million views on YouTube.
“It used to be said that millions of people had dreams in which they had tea with the Queen,” remarked Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the writer of the sketch, after the Queen’s passing. “Even our dream life is going to have to change. Watching her have tea with Paddington will have to do instead.”
This wasn’t Paddington’s only appearance during the Platinum celebrations. Artist Eleanor Tomlinson created an image of the Queen holding hands with Paddington, alongside one of the Queen’s corgis as they walk through what looks like the aftermath of a Jubilee street party. This image has now become synonymous with the Queen’s passing, with the picture circulating widely with various heartfelt captions and even being turned into commemorative tattoos.
Since then, Paddington has become a figurehead of national mourning. Paddington toys and illustrations have been placed outside the palace gates by the public as gestures, as well as marmalade sandwiches. People have also taken to getting more creative; one family in Devon, for instance, spent four hours creating a Paddington artwork out of pebbles and shells on a nearby beach.
Even on social media, the Paddington effect is obvious – the official Paddington Twitter account pulled in one million likes on a tribute post that read: “Thank you Ma’am, for everything.”
The BBC has also inserted the Paddington films into their bank holiday showings and will be airing Paddington on Saturday 17 September, with Paddington 2 playing after the Queen’s state funeral on Monday 19 September.
Although the official connections between the Queen and Paddington have been few and far between, it seems that the decades of small interactions and references to the pair have been enough to capture the public imagination and provide an additional outlet for those who are processing the loss of the only Queen they have ever known.
Some might find it difficult to make a correlation between the two figures. After all, one is a bear from Peru who often finds himself in sticky situations because of his blundering nature and the other was a dutiful head of state with an unwavering sense of responsibility. But it’s not hard to see the connection, either. Paddington Bear, a character that is without a doubt firmly in the ranks of some of the most well-known and loved British culture, is almost as iconic as the Queen herself.
What started as a brief instalment in a collection of iconic children’s books has turned into an association that seems to mean something to fans of the Queen now more than ever in, what is for some, a time of mourning and great change.
After all, Paddington was found in the train station by the Brown family with a tag on his neck with the words: “Please look after this bear. Thank you.” Perhaps now Paddington is the one looking after those who need him.
Paddington will be available to watch on BBC One on Saturday 17 September at 7pm and Paddington 2 on Monday 19 September at 6:50pm.
Images: Getty
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