In a new image released to commemorate the donation of over 1,000 toy bears to the Barnardo’s children’s charity, the Queen Consort is surrounded by teddies. Members of the public had left the bears, which were made up of Paddingtons and other teddies, outside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle in the aftermath of the Queen’s death last month. Buckingham Palace stated that the toys have been collected, professionally cleaned, and will be delivered to Barnardo’s children’s services in the coming weeks. Camilla is seen in a commemorative photograph smiling broadly while sitting on a low sofa in Clarence House’s Morning Room wearing a navy blue dress with white stitching, clutching a Paddington bear on her lap and surrounded by other teddies. The photo was taken on Thursday, the 64th anniversary of the first Paddington bear book’s publication. The Peruvian bear visited Buckingham Palace for afternoon tea during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee sketch in the summer, during which the Queen produced a marmalade sandwich from her handbag. It prompted mourners to leave teddy bears and even some of the tasty treats among the floral tributes left outside royal residences in the aftermath of her death in September. Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall at the time, took over as patron of Barnardo’s in 2016. “Please look after this bear,” said a tweet from the Royal Family’s official account, accompanied by the newly released image. “The bears have been scrubbed up to look their best ahead of their arrival at their new home,” it continued. “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was Barnardo’s patron for over 30 years, and we are honoured to be able to give homes to the teddies that people left in her memory,” said Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s. We are incredibly grateful to Her Majesty The Queen Consort for her support in helping us to raise awareness of the needs of vulnerable children and young people in the UK so that we can continue to support them through our vital services.” “Over the last few weeks, we have been looking for a fitting and appropriate use for the hundreds of teddy bears that were left in Green Park and Hyde Park to honour the Queen,” said Tom Jarvis, director of parks at the Royal Parks charity. We are overjoyed that the teddy bears will now bring joy and comfort to hundreds of Barnardo’s children.” The teddies are being “well looked after” at the palace, Clarence House, and the Royal Parks nursery in Hyde Park, according to Buckingham Palace. The Royal Parks charity began collecting tributes from Green Park and Hyde Park late last month, with the help of shire horses and nearly 200 volunteers. Toy bears collected will be cleaned and donated to Barnardo’s alongside those left as tributes on the Long Walk outside Windsor Castle.
