Strange request as mourners leave tributes at Green Park after Queen’s death

Authorities been forced to make a strange request of mourners visiting Buckingham Palace as one unexpected item piles up.

The Queen’s good friend Paddington Bear and his favourite food, marmalade sandwiches, have been asked to stay away from Buckingham Palace and nearby Green Park.

You would be forgiven for thinking if an animal were going to be associated with Queen Elizabeth II it would be the corgi, but it turns out, people like to think Her Majesty loved the bear in a bush hat and blue duffel coat just as much.

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Queen Elizabeth II and Paddington Bear at Buckingham Palace from a film shown at the Platinum Party at the Palace on June 4. Picture: Buckingham Palace / AFP

Mourners have been showing up in droves for the past four days with flowers and other tributes. Those left at Buckingham Palace were loaded up into a truck and moved to the newly created Green Park Floral Tribute Garden over the weekend.

Paddington Bear, who actually has two birthdays just like the Queen, has been spotted often in the park since the Queen’s death but the fictional character has now been told to stay at home.

The Royal Parks has asked mourners not to bring anymore Paddington Bears. Picture: Chantelle Francis

The popular fictional character has been associated with the Queen following the skit in June. Picture: Chantelle Francis

The Royal Parks, which manages the parks surrounding the palace, has had to ask visitors to stop bringing non-floral objects or artefacts, specifically calling out teddy bears, including the famous Paddington.

Floral tributes will be removed and composted seven to fourteen days after the funeral on Monday, September 19 – a bear however, cannot be.

On #BBCBreakfast Sally reveals the Royal Parks are asking that people don't leave any more Paddington Bears or marmalade sandwicheshttps://t.co/LnaLUb84ywpic.twitter.com/peTh8Osaul

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 12, 2022

Paddington was the Queen’s surprise co-star in a special skit for her Platinum Jubilee in June.

The two had tea together, with Paddington offering the Queen a marmalade sandwich from his hat. Much to viewers delight, the Queen then pulled her own sandwich out of her handbag.

Paddington ended the skit by saying “thank you, for everything”.

Following the Queen’s death on Thursday, one of the writers of the skit commended the late monarch on her acting skills as of course, Paddington Bear wasn’t actually there during the filming.

“You’ve got to remember that’s real acting going on there,” Frank Cottrell-Boyce told BBC. “Paddington isn’t really in the room. She’s acting with an eye line and someone pretending to be Paddington – that’s proper acting going on.”

On Thursday night, Paddington Bear had tweeted: “Thank you Ma’am, for everything.”

Candles and balloons have also been banned. Picture: Loic Venance / AFP

Paddington can be spotted a number of times around Green Park. Picture: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

Royal Parks has also asked people to stop bringing balloons and candles, and remove wrappings from floral tributes.

A small group of visitors were seen on Monday removing wrappings from flowers that had already been left.

A group of visitors took it upon themselves to remove plastic from any floral arrangements on Monday. Picture: Chantelle Francis

One woman was rearranging flowers that had been taken out of their wrapping into a rainbow. Picture: Chantelle Francis

“We don’t want plastic, that’s the problem, so we’re just putting it all in bags,” Sandra, from South East London, told news.com.au.

The group were then rearranging the flowers. Sandra had created a rainbow.

“A rainbow came out just as she died over Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle so that’s where I got the idea,” she said.

Another London woman, Katya, explained: “I was just passing by and decided to help.”