Sunday 5th June 2022: The Queen and I.
Hello, Paddington Bear here. Elaine felt that I should write about my trip to Buckingham Palace, when I was invited to take afternoon tea with our dear, now departed Queen.
At the beginning of April, I received a letter in the post addressed to, ‘Master Paddington Bear’, on rather grand looking stationary. I wasn’t expecting any post, so I asked Elaine if she knew what it was. She laughed and urged me to open it as I would soon find out.
I carefully tore the envelope open, and began to read the letter enclosed.
It was a very official looking letter. “Look Elaine, it’s a letter to me … from the Queen”, I exclaimed.
Elaine asked me what it said. I told her that I had been invited to take afternoon tea with the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee Day, on Sunday 5th June 2022. I was so surprised, I had to sit down and re read the letter.
“Paddington, you’re going to the Palace to meet the Queen”, squealed Elaine with excitement. “This is a huge honour”.
“I am very honoured to accept the Queen’s invitation”, I replied rather modestly.
Elaine told me that I had to formally accept Her Majesty’s invitation in writing. With Elaine’s help, and in my neatest handwriting, I wrote my acceptance letter to Her Majesty, The Queen. We walked to the Post Office and Elaine asked for it to be sent by special delivery.
“I’m going to meet the Queen you know”. I announced very proudly to the post master.
“Congratulations, Master Paddington. Please pass on my best wishes to Her Majesty “.
“Oh, I certainly will do. Goodbye”. I replied.
I walked out of the Post Office feeling ten feet tall. Elaine told me that she would have to widen the door frame if my head got any bigger. I chose to ignore that remark as I knew she was only pulling my leg.
In the weeks that followed, I excitedly crossed the days off the calendar, whilst Elaine booked our train tickets, and made sure my hat and coat had been sent to the dry cleaners, so that I would look my best for my meeting with the Queen.
On the morning of our journey to London, Elaine had packed my emergency Marmalade sandwich, which I put under my hat for safe keeping, and after an early start, we arrived at London, Euston Station on the morning of Sunday 5th June.
Elaine then took me to Buckingham Palace in a taxi, for my afternoon tea with the Queen, and arranged to collect me by the Palace gates later that afternoon. She then gave me the usual instructions; be good, best behaviour … and don’t break anything.
“Things happen to me, I’m that sort of bear”, I told Elaine, “But I will try my hardest”, I promised, as I eagerly waved goodbye.
I must admit I felt quite nervous when I walked towards the Queen’s Guard. He didn’t seem to notice me at first. I am quite small I suppose. “Ahem”. I coughed loudly. “Excuse me Sir, my name is Master Paddington Bear, and I have been invited for afternoon tea with the Queen”. I proudly held up my very official looking letter from the Queen. The Queen’s Guard appeared to peer at my letter, and then turned and marched inside the gates of Buckingham Palace. I stood and waited, feeling a little anxious, then the Guard returned with the Queen’s Body Guard of the Yeoman of the Guard, who was dressed in his Tudor uniform of red, white and yellow, who also looked at my invitation.
“How do you do, Master Paddington. Now if you would follow me, Her Majesty is waiting for you”. I followed the Queen’s Body Guard through the Palace gates and into Buckingham Palace.
Once inside, we walked along the ornate red and gold carpeted corridors of the Palace that seemed to stretch for miles. I was ushered into the Queen’s drawing room and was invited to be seated at a table, by the window, that overlooked the grounds of Buckingham Palace. I felt very fortunate to be there as there were crowds of thousands of people, already gathering for the Jubilee celebrations in the Palace grounds below.
After a short while, the butler whispered to me to stand as the Queen was about to enter the drawing room. I did as I was asked, and Her Majesty walked in with her Body Guard; the same one who had escorted me into the Palace earlier. I remembered my manners and bowed my head. The Queen shook my paw and invited me to sit down. The table was beautifully laid out with the finest bone China tea service. This made me very nervous indeed.
I thanked the Queen for having me and that I hoped she was having a lovely Jubilee; who then graciously offered me some tea.
That’s when things started to happen. I completely forgot my manners, quite likely, due to my nerves. I picked up the China teapot and glugged tea straight from the spout. It was only when I heard the butler cough, that I realised that I should have poured tea for the Queen. I remembered my manners and said that I was terribly sorry. I wiped the spout and poured some tea into the Queen’s teacup; only, I had drunk so much tea, there were only a few drops of tea left.
I was balancing on the edge of my chair, when my chair started to slide, and I let go of the teapot as I slipped, which to my horror, flew up into the air. In my attempt to catch the airborne teapot, I juggled with it and caught it with my left paw. I overbalanced, leaving my right paw to come crashing down firmly on a very large, chocolate éclair, with such a force, that all the cream squirted out of it and landed on the butler’s face. I believe the Queen was about to giggle when I apologised for my clumsiness.
What an embarrassing mishap. I wiped the cream from my paw, and to make amends, I asked the Queen if she would like my emergency marmalade sandwich, which I then produced from under my hat. To my surprise, the Queen smiled as she took a Marmalade sandwich from her handbag as she told me that’s where she kept her emergency Marmalade sandwich … for later.
The butler told the Queen that the party was about to start. I doffed my hat to the Queen and wished her a happy Jubilee, and thanked her for everything. We heard the band, Queen, start to play, ‘We will rock you’, then we both joined in, tapping the beat on our teacups and saucers with the silver teaspoons, which was great fun.
I had a lovely day at Buckingham Palace. I felt very humbled and fortunate to have had afternoon tea with the Queen. This little bear from darkest Peru was honoured to be part of the Jubilee celebrations, and was very sad to learn of her passing.
God bless and rest in peace Ma’am; and, thank you for everything.
Paddington Bear.