05 June 2022

Paddington Bear Joins the Queen for Afternoon Tea at Buckingham Palace

God bless Her Majesty! This is hilarious. Remember the 'James Bond video' with Daniel Craig back in 2012? She's done it again.

From Harper's Bazaar

By Quinci Legardye

Queen Elizabeth started off tonight's Platinum Jubilee concert with a surprise virtual appearance.

The monarch appeared in a brief pre-recorded skit, which played at the beginning of the BBC Party at the Palace celebration at Buckingham Palace. The adorable clip shows a tea party at the palace with the queen and the iconic British children's character Paddington Bear, voiced by actor Ben Whishaw.

In the clip, the bear drinks straight from the teapot, leaving only a few drops for the monarch, who responds, "Never mind," to his offer for the last of the tea. After offering Queen Elizabeth one of his favored marmalade sandwiches instead, which he says he travels with "for emergencies," the queen pulls her own sandwich out of her trusty purse, adding, "I keep mine in here, for later."

An equerry then tells the queen and the bear that the concert is about to begin, as a clip of the crowd outside Buckingham Palace is shown. Paddington tells the monarch, "Happy Jubilee, Ma'am... and thank you for everything."

"That's very kind," the queen responds.

The scene ends with the monarch and the bear joining in on the drumbeat for the concert's opening song, Queen's "We Will Rock You," by clinking their spoons against teacups.

The rare acting appearance for the queen comes a decade after she performed in a surprise skit for 2012 London Olympics' Opening Ceremony. In the clip, James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, escorts the monarch to a helicopter to perform a base jump over London Stadium.

"Her Majesty is well known for her sense of humour, so it should be no surprise that she decided to take part in tonight’s sketch. There was an interest in the filming and animation process and the opportunity to invite a famous bear to tea was just too much fun to miss," a palace spokesperson tells BAZAAR.com.

The queen will not attend the concert celebration in person, as she has spent the day viewing Jubilee events, including the historic Epsom Derby, from home at Windsor Castle. Several members of the royal family, including Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children George and Charlotte, who appeared to enjoy the cute clip.

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