Mourners asked to stop leaving Paddingtons and marmalade sandwiches

Mourners asked to stop leaving toy Paddington bear tributes and marmalade sandwiches in honour of the Queen – with bosses at Green Park urging people to stick to flowers instead

• Royal Parks said people should only leave ‘unwrapped’ flowers in Green Park
• Tens of thousands of people flocked to Green Park today to leave tributes
• Children have left Paddingtons and sandwiches after the Queen’s Jubilee sketch
• But Royal Parks encourage people to only leave ‘organic’ decomposable tributes 
• Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing

Royal Parks bosses have asked mourners to stop leaving Paddington Bear and marmalade sandwich tributes in honour of the Queen – and to stick to unwrapped flowers instead. 

Children across the nation have paid their respects with the teddy bears and sandwiches in a nod to the delightful sketch filmed for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June. 

But Royal Parks, which manages the dedicated site for tributes at Green Park, said only unwrapped floral tributes should be left in memory of Her Majesty. 

They are encouraging people to only leave ‘organic’ material so it can begin to decompose.  

In a statement on their website issued this morning Royal Parks said: ‘Unfortunately, no gifts and artefacts will be accepted and the public will be asked not to bring these to the parks. 

 Royal Parks bosses have asked mourners to stop leaving Paddington Bear and marmalade sandwich tributes in honour of the Queen – and to stick to unwrapped flowers instead. Pictured: floral tributes in Green Park today

Children across the nation have paid their respects with the teddy bears and sandwiches in a nod to the delightful sketch filmed for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June. Pictured: A Paddington tribute left outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on September 10

But Royal Parks, which manages the dedicated site for tributes at Green Park, said only unwrapped floral tributes should be left in memory of Her Majesty. Pictured: A marmalade sandwich left for the Queen outside Balmoral Castle

‘Non-floral objects/artefacts such as teddy bears or balloons should not be brought.’

Tens of thousand of people flocked to Green Park next to Buckingham Palace this morning to leave bouquets, written tributes and cuddly toys in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth. 

Royal gardeners have had the mammoth task of removing the plastic wrap from the flowers laid, as members of the public have mucked in to help.

Royal Parks’ website says wrapping from flowers should be removed before they are left, to aid with their longeivity and to help with composting, which will begin after the Queen’s funeral on Monday, September 19. 

The Queen and Paddington Bear appeared in a comic sketch for her Platinum Jubilee in June

In a simple, yet heartwarming tribute posted on Twitter, Paddington Bear said: ‘Thank you Ma’am, for everything.’

They estimate that floral tributes will start to be taken away between seven and 14 days after the funeral takes place. 

The composted material will be used on shrubberies and landscaping projects across Royal Parks. 

Royal cards and labels would be accepted but will be periodically moved for storage off-site and lit candles will be extinguished and removed.

Flowers left by Buckingham Palace will be moved to Green Park at the end of each day. 

Paddingtons and marmalade sandwiches have been left with the flowers after the Queen’s comic sketch with Michael Bond’s beloved cartoon bear in June. 

The two-minute video sees Paddington and the Queen taking tea in Buckingham Palace as the Jubilee celebrations begin. 

Paddington Bear hilariously defies royal etiquette by drinking straight out of the teapot, crushing a cake and pulling a marmalade sandwich out of his hat. 

Queen Elizabeth took the opportunity to showcase her sense of humour by bringing a sandwich out of her bag that she keeps ‘for later’.

Even a marmalade sandwich, with ‘for later’ written on it – the phrase the Queen used when she plucked one out of her bag in a comedy sketch with beloved cartoon bear Paddington – was left by one mourner

Tributes to the monarch after her death on Thursday at Balmoral Castle included sandwiches with ‘For Later!’ written on them. 

On Twitter on Thursday, Paddington’s account said simply: ‘Thank you Ma’am, for everything,’ referring to his parting words in the video. 

However the sandwiches left out in a touching tribute to the Queen have started to go mouldy. 

Today marks the second official day of mourning for the Queen. Her coffin arrived in Edinburgh earlier today to lie in rest at the Palace of Holyroodhouse overnight as tens of thousands of people lined the streets. 

Poignant illustrations of the Queen, flanked by one of her corgis and accompanied by Paddington, have also been left around the Royal Palaces

The younger generations have been leaving Paddington Bears, Marmalade sandwiches and hand-drawn cards all over the country

Devoted daughter Princess Anne will accompany the late monarch’s body to London ahead of the funeral, Buckingham Palace confirmed.

On Monday the coffin will be taken to St Giles’ Cathedral where it will lie in rest until Tuesday.

After lying in state for 24 hours, the coffin will be flown to RAF Northolt on Tuesday and taken by road to Buckingham Palace.

It will be taken to Westminster Hall on Wednesday for lying-in-state until the morning of the funeral on September 19. Members of the public will be able to see the coffin as it lies in state.

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will be held on Monday, September 19 at Westminster Abbey at 11am – which King Charles today declared would be a bank holiday.

MailOnline has contacted Royal Parks for comment. 

Source: Read Full Article