Ever since Paddington made a surprise appearance in a TV sketch with the late Queen Elizabeth II during her Platinum Jubilee, the world has gone gaga for the much-loved bear.
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Now a photo of Paddington with Princess Anne in 1988 has resurfaced on Twitter, showing that the connection between the iconic bear and royal family goes way back – there’s even a chapter in Michael Bond's books called Paddington at the Palace!
WATCH: Paddington takes tea with the Queen
In the adorable picture, we see new-mother Anne leaving hospital in London with her baby boy Peter back in 1977, accompanied by her then-husband Mark Phillips. One nurse carries little Peter and another nurse smiles as she holds a cuddly Paddington Bear, wearing his trademark duffle coat, blue hat and red wellies.
We wonder if the cute Paddington was a gift from Anne’s mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, to her grandson Peter?
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© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Anne leaves hospital with baby Peter and Paddington Bear
When the monarch passed away on 8 September 2022, royal fans placed hundreds of cuddly Paddington Bears at the gates of two of her homes, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, and many placed real marmalade sandwiches with them (which made the pigeons most pleased but royal staff not so much).
At the time, the official Paddington Bear Twitter account touchingly posted: "Thank you Ma’am, for everything."
© Photo: Getty ImagesA Paddington left at Buckingham Palace in tribute to the late Queen
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla later released sweet photographs on social media, showing a series of cuddly toy Paddington Bears living it up in the royal residences. The toys pictured were among over a thousand teddy bears and soft toys left outside the Queen's residences in her memory.
A royal fan commented: "This is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen!" while another said: "Sliding down the bannisters - our late Queen would love that photo."
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© Photo: Getty ImagesQueen Consort Camilla donated Paddingtons to Barnardo's
Camilla then donated the soft toys to children in need via Barnardo's, the charity of which the late monarch was patron for more than 30 years and then passed on to Camilla back in 2016.
The Prince of Wales admitted that he got "choked up" over Paddington Bear tributes left by royal fans in honour of the late Queen.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Queen's sketch with Paddington
Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who co-wrote the Queen’s TV sketch with Paddington, said after the late monarch’s passing: "Paddington stands for a set of values that she stood for as well, for welcoming the stranger, for decency, for politeness."
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