Over 1K teddy bears left by mourners for the late royal go to children's charity
The toys will be cleaned before being delivered to the children's charity.
By AFP | Updated:
AP
In this handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace, the Queen Consort Camilla poses with a collection of Paddington cuddly toys in the Morning Room at Clarence House, on the 64th anniversary of the publication of the first Paddington bear book, in London, Saturday Oct. 15, 2022.
LONDON: More than 1,000 Paddingtons and other teddy bears left by mourners following Queen Elizabeth II's death are being donated to a leading children's charity, Buckingham Palace said Saturday.
Charity Barnardo's will receive the professionally cleaned toys in the coming weeks after they were left outside royal residences in London and Windsor, along with a sea of flowers, after Elizabeth died on September 8.
The late monarch was patron to Barnardo's for three decades, the UK charity's chief executive Lynn Perry said.
FILE PHOTO: Paddington Bear sits among other tributes at Green Park, following the funeral of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain September 23, 2022. "We promise to look after these bears who will be well-loved and bring joy to the children we support," she said in a palace statement.
Paddington Bear became synonymous with Elizabeth at a "Platinum Party" in early June celebrating her record-breaking 70 years on the throne.
The party and concert memorably kicked off with the queen interacting with a computer-generated Paddington, tapping the beat to Queen's "We Will Rock You" on her teacup.
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London's Royal Parks service has said meanwhile that the many flowers left last month were to be composted down for re-use in planting projects.
