Queen Elizabeth II 'hadn't really known' what Paddington Bear skit was about for platinum jubilee
Didn't initially 'make sense' to late monarch
Queen Elizabeth II was mystified by the unforgettable Paddington Bear sketch that was filmed for her platinum jubilee celebrations, it has been claimed.
The late monarch died in September 2022, aged 96, as the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Just months before her death, her 70 years on the throne were marked with a host of commemorative events, including a service at St Paul’s Cathedral and a concert at Buckingham Palace.
But for many royal fans, the standout – and entirely unexpected – moment from those happy few days saw Queen Elizabeth II pop up in a skit with children’s fiction’s biggest fan of marmalade sandwiches. However, according to former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, the late queen may not have had any idea what was going on.
Queen Elizabeth delighted fans with a Paddington Bear sketch
Ms Sturgeon, who was First Minister between November 2014 and March 2023, has revealed details of her encounters with Queen Elizabeth II in her autobiography, Frankly.
Among those many meetings, Ms Sturgeon indicates the late monarch suggested during one exchange at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 2022 that the collaboration with Paddington may not have “made sense” to her during filming.
The unprecedented short film saw Paddington take tea with the beloved royal at Buckingham Palace. And as Paddington struggled with the proper decorum in the presence of Her Majesty, the late queen amusingly revealed she was also very fond of marmalade sandwiches. She even opened up her handbag to share that she kept an emergency supply on her at all times.
In the sketch, Paddington told the monarch: “Happy Jubilee, Ma’am, and thank you for everything.”
‘Queen hadn’t really known what it was all about’
According to the former SNP leader, the queen spoke about filming the piece, which aired during the Buckingham Palace concert in June 2022.
Ms Sturgeon reflected in her book: “We chatted about how much she had enjoyed it.
It was only when she later saw it on TV that it made sense.
“She told me when she had filmed the Paddington sketch, she hadn’t really known what it was all about. It was only when she later saw it on TV that it made sense.”
Aired only months ahead of her death, the skit came to be regarded as a definitive memory for many fans.
It was also interpreted as the queen “waving a happy goodbye” by some observers. And many mourners at the time expressed their sympathies and condolences with Paddington teddies and marmalade sandwiches.
Read more: Prince Harry told ‘stop being the victim’ by Queen Elizabeth II’s former aide
Prince William even received a cuddly Paddington during a walkabout at Windsor in the days following his grandmother’s passing.
He told the little girl who gave him the toy: “I might give it to [Prince]George. Thank you very much.”
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