Prince William Was Given a Paddington Bear Toy During Windsor Walkabout in Memory of the Queen
This is so thoughtful.
During walkabouts, members of the Royal Family are traditionally presented with all sorts of gifts—often flowers or food, but sometimes other symbolic items, too.
When Princes William and Harry and their wives, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, greeted well-wishers in Windsor this weekend following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, they were of course given many items.
But it's one special plushy that's warming hearts everywhere: a Paddington bear toy gifted to Prince William in memory of his grandmother.
A little girl gave it to the Prince of Wales from her perch on her father's shoulders, a gesture he really appreciated. "That is so sweet. Thank you very much," the royal told her, according to the Daily Mail.
Pointing to a pile of flowers and other tributes to the Queen, William then asked, "Is that going over there or do you want me to keep it?"
The little girl wanted him to keep it, while her father said, "Either, maybe give it to your children."
William seemed to think that was a good idea, saying, "I might give it to George, thank you very much."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
As you probably already know, the choice of a Paddington bear toy is far from innocuous: It's an adorable nod to the Queen's Jubilee skit, in which she invites the clumsy bear to tea at Buckingham Palace, only for him to make a series of faux-pas, before offering her a marmalade sandwich he keeps in his iconic red hat.
The fictional bear will likely always be associated with the monarch from now on. He even paid his respects to her on Twitter, writing, "Thank you Ma'am, for everything," which is a line from the skit. *sobs*
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
'Dune: Prophecy' Shows the Bene Gesserit's Rise to Power—Meet the Next Gen Actresses Leading the Max Series
And if you need a refresher on House Atreides and Harkonnen lore, we've got you covered.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Prince Andrew's "Anxiety is Through the Roof " Amid Royal Lodge Battle
The royal "is generally very lost," a source claims.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Nicole Kidman Addresses the Popular Meme Referencing Her Divorce From Tom Cruise
"That wasn't real life."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Queen Camilla Relies on Her Six Companions to Help With a Potentially Embarrassing Task
The new ladies-in-waiting maintain The Queen's privacy and stop fans from acquiring "souvenirs."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Kate and Prince William's "Undeniably Sexy" Secret Romance Seems to Be "Aging Backwards"
"You see from their body language what looks like a 'Benjamin Button' love affair."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Kate Takes the Lead on an Ordinary Household Task That Leaves Prince William Clueless
"I have no idea what I'm doing."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Meghan Markle's $6,050 Pendant Pays Tribute to Her "Angels" Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet
The engraved necklace features an adorable reference to the Duchess of Sussex's children.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
King Charles Faces Yet Another Security Breach as Windsor Castle Estate is Burglarized by Masked Intruders
The incident occurred not far from Prince William and Princess Kate's home.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Meghan Markle's 5 Best Royal Re-Wears
The Duchess of Sussex knows what works.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Was Booed by Protestors at Ulster University in Belfast
Video footage shows the Prince of Wales being heckled during his visit to Northern Ireland.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William Helped Fans Get Out of Being Late for Class in Hilarious TikTok
"Can't argue with a royal pardon."
By Kristin Contino Published