Bear sketch as ‘brilliant’
THE Queen and Paddington Bear stole the show at her Platinum Jubilee celebrations and she was “brilliant”, the Prince of Wales has said.
Charles, who admitted he had not been told of the Paddington sketch until it was televised to the nation, also told how his four-year-old grandson Prince Louis was the other star of the four-day extravaganza.
The mischievous antics of little Louis included pushing past the Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony, pulling faces and enthusiastically waving to the crowds.
Charles made his revelations to his long-time friend, TV star and author Gyles Brandreth.
The Prince said he was “happy” with the way the celebrations were going when they met up last Sunday, the morning after the special concert held in the Queen’s honour.
The heir to the throne had led tributes to his “mummy” in a warm speech, as he thanked her for “being there for us” when he addressed the 22,000 audience at the BBC’S Platinum Party at the Palace and the millions watching on TV.
The highlight had been a short sketch in which Paddington Bear joined the Queen for afternoon tea and was delighted they both shared a love of marmalade sandwiches.
Speaking on the Commonwealth Poetry podcast, which he co-hosts with daughter Aphra and which starts today, Gyles said of his chat with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall: “They were on good form.
“We all agreed how brilliant the Queen had been with Paddington.
“We all agreed the Queen and Paddington at one end of the spectrum stole the show and at the other it was Prince Louis that stole the
show. It was before the fun parade and they were amused by my corgi jumper. They were happy with the way [the event] was going.
“I congratulated the Prince on his speech and we agreed the Queen had been wonderful – everybody just loved that film, such fun.
“They said they knew nothing about it until it happened.”
Every fortnight Gyles and Aphra will go on a virtual tour of the 54 Commonwealth nations exploring the poetry, heritage and people.
For the first episode, on the UK,
they are joined by the Duchess of Cornwall and Dame Joanna Lumley in the Garden Room of Clarence House. Camillatalks about her travels across the Commonwealth and her favourite poets including Robert Burns, Ted Hughes and John Betjeman.
Gyles revealed that, just like some people find the idea of poetry a little forbidding, he also finds the idea of interviewing royalty nervewracking. But Camilla put him – and students from the University of Chester who were there to record
the podcast – at their ease. She said as a child she had to learn poems by heart, a skill she believes all youngsters should share.
“You can have a little store where you have got these poems sort of in you for the rest of your life.
“There are times when you are feeling very sad or happy and you can reach for a poem to identify with your mood, happy or sad.”
The podcasts will be available on itunes and Spotify.