Paddington tributes to queen prove too much to 'bear'

A view of a Paddington Bear toy, following the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in Windsor, Britain, September 12, 2022. So many bears have been brought as a tribute that the Royal Parks has asked visitors to 'not to bring non-floral objects/artefacts such as teddy bears or balloons'. – Photo: Reuters

To bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, Sarah Fowles came to Buckingham Palace with not just flowers but a teddy bear too: Paddington in his red hat and his blue duffel coat.

The beloved children's book character is omnipresent among the thousands of bouquets outside the palace, thanks largely to a video of the queen drinking tea with the bear for her Platinum Jubilee.