Queen Elizabeth II was unable to attend her 70th anniversary celebrations, BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace, in person on Saturday night, but she did join the opening tea session with Paddington Bear.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has once again shown her humor in a video of an unusual teatime on the occasion of her 70th jubilee. In the video published on Saturday, the 96-year-old monarch can be seen in a magnificent room in her palace at a table with the children’s book character Paddington Bear. With tea served in fine china, Paddington pulls a jam sandwich out of his old red hat.
“I always have one with me for emergencies,” says the animated bear character to the Queen. “I’ll do that too,” replies Elizabeth II, and with a smile pulls two slices of toast with red jam in between from her handbag. “For later,” she adds to the astonished Paddington, dropping the sandwich back into her bag.
Meanwhile, the noise of a cheering crowd in front of the palace penetrates from outside and a palace official says to the Queen: “The celebration is about to begin, Your Majesty.” Paddington Bear then takes his hat off again and wishes the Queen: “Happy anniversary, ma’am!” With a touching look from his brown beady eyes, he adds: “And thank you. For everything!”
The video was reportedly filmed at Windsor Castle back in March. Only a few members of the royal family were privy to the top-secret project.
Queen Elizabeth has already filmed with James Bond
It’s not the first time the Queen has shown her British humor in this way. Ten years ago she starred in a video for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. In it she was visited by James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, climbed into a helicopter with the famous secret agent 007 and then – apparently – jumped into the Olympic Stadium with a parachute.
In 2016, Elizabeth II also starred with Prince Harry in a humorous promotional video for the Invictus Games for disabled veterans, which her grandson created.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be celebrated for four days in the UK. After her appearance on Thursday at the “Trooping the Color” military parade on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, the Queen canceled appointments planned for Friday and Saturday for health reasons.
