PADDY: "I hear a car!" *Peeks out the front window.* "Oh! It's her!" *Trembles with excitement and nerves.* "She's here!"
SCOUT: "Who is here, Paddy?"
PADDY: "Why, Her Majesty Queen Lilibet is here of course! Quick everybear! Let's make Her Majesty welcome."
JAGO: "Is my bow tie straight Cousin Paddington?"
COUSIN PADDINGTON: "You look perfect Jago."
PADDY, SCOUT, BOGART, COUSIN PADDINGTON, JAGO, FREDDY, DUCKIE, CABBAGE and little LETTUCE: *Hurry to front door.*
JAGO: "I shall open the door Paddy." *Opens front door.*
PADDY: "Welcome Your Majesty!" *Doffs hat and bows.*
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "Thank you very much. We are looking for the home of Paddy and Scout. The driver said this is it. Are we in the right place?"
PADDY: "You are indeed, Your Majesty. I am Paddy, this is Scout."
SCOUT: "How do you do, Your Majesty" *Bows and almost trips on pearl necklace.* "And this is my Dolly."
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "How do you do Scout and Dolly."
PADDY: "And this is our family, Cousin Paddington, Jago, Bogart, Freddy and Ducky."
COUSIN PADDINGTON, JAGO, BOGART, FREDDY and DUCKIE: *All bow."
CABBAGE and LETTUCE: "Woof Woof-woof! Snuffle."
PADDY: "And these are our dogs, Cabbage and Lettuce."
CABBAGE and LETTUCE: *Run up to Queen Lilibet and await pats and strokes.*
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "Thank you. We are so glad to be here in your lovely home. We have heard so much about you from England that We were most anxious to visit here on our tour and meet you all."
JAGO: "May I help carry your train, Your Majesty?"
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "Oh thank you very much, Jago. That would be most kind if you would. You may call me Ma'am - as in ham, everybear, duck and fox."
BOGART: *Whispers to Jago.* "Wow look at her pretty train, Jago. It's all embroidered and so soft."
JAGO: "It is, Bogart. Her train is trimmed with the softest ermine."
PADDY: "We have some lovely celebrations planned whilst you are visiting Ma'am. We have a lovely afternoon tea planned."
DUCKIE: "But I'm not coming to that Ma'am, as Daddy is not serving grubs and worms, only food that bears like."
COUSIN PADDINGTON: "Daddy has been baking very hard for you, Ma'am, to make a beautiful afternoon tea."
SCOUT: "And I'm going to perform and do a dance for you after the tea party, Ma'am as in Ham!" *Jumps up and down excitedly.*
DUCKIE: "And I am coming to that Ma'am, as Scout is a very good dancer."
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "Well, that all sounds quite delightful! I must confess, we are quite hungry after our journey. Grumbly tummy, Paddy! Grumbly tummy!" *Rubs tummy vigorously.*
SCOUT: "Do you get a grumbly tummy too, Ma'am as in Ham?"
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "Oh yes, little Scout. All this touring gives One a grumbly tummy quite often. We like your pearls and your pretty pink fascinator by the way. We are glad to see you dressed so beautifully."
SCOUT: "Gosh! Thank you Ma'am as in Ham." *Preens.* "I try to make myself look pretty every day. Daddy said that I was allowed to wear his Grandmother's special pearls because you were visiting, and you are special, Ma'am as in Ham."
COUSIN PADDINGTON: "Ahem." *Clears throat.* "Scout, I don't think Her Majesty meant for you to call her Ma'am as in Ham, but rather Ma'am and was indicating that it rhymes with ham, rather than ma'am that rhymes with farm."
SCOUT: "Well, you might think that, Cousin Paddington. But Ma'am as in Ham said to call her that, so I'm doing the right thing and minding my manners and being on my best behaviour, just like you, Paddy, Jago and Daddy told me to be." *Nods seriously.*
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "It's quite fine, Cousin Paddington. We are very amused."
SCOUT: "Well Ma'am as in Ham, if you'd like to follow me, I'll take to to the... ahem." *Blushes. Whispers quietly.* "The Lady Louisa. Come this way, please."
FREDDY: "Why are you showing Her Majesty to the toilet, Scout?"
SCOUT: "Freddy!" *Waves paw admonishingly at Freddy. "Don't use such vulgar language in front of Ma'am as in Ham! That's very rude! It's polite to call it the Lady Louisa. Daddy told me that!" *Smiles proudly.*
FREDDY: "Well, whatever we call it, why are you showing Her Majesty there? That isn't where the tea party is!"
SCOUT: "Well, I should have thought it was obvious, Freddy. Ma'am as in Ham keeps talking about wee. Wee this and wee that. She obviously needs to go to the Lady Louisa. Poor bear has probably been crossing her paws since she left London!"
JAGO: "Oh no, Scout. That isn't what Her Majesty means at all. If I may, Ma'am."
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "Pray proceed, Jago."
JAGO: "Scout, when you are royal person like Her Majesty, you don't say me, you say we instead. It's the Royal We."
SCOUT: "Oh!" *Puts paw to mouth.* "Is that because there is more than one of you, Ma'am as in Ham?"
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "No, Scout." *Chuckles quietly behind paw.* "It's just what we do."
SCOUT: "Why?"
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "I don't know really." *Shrugs.* "But We just do. It's tradition, and We are very big on tradition."
SCOUT: "Oh!" *Puts other paw to mouth and nods seriously.* "Well, now that we have that cleared up, I should probably show you where the Lady Louisa is anyway, as you'll need to go wee at some time as Daddy has the kettle on for some tea. Then we can sit down and have afternoon tea, and then after that I will dance for you. Come along Ma'am as in Ham." *Offers paw to Her Majesty Queen Lilibet.*
HM QUEEN LILIBET: "Lead on little Scout." *Takes Scout's paw.*
BOGART: "May I help you carry Her Majesty's train, Jago?"
JAGO: "Oh yes please, Bogart. It is a bit heavy."
BOGART: "But so soft and snuggly." *Giggles.*
SCOUT: "So, do you like disco dancing, Ma'am as in Ham?"
HM QUEEN LILIBET: *Looks perplexed at Scout as he leads her down the hallway.*
2022 marks the year that Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of devoted and loyal service to her people.
Celebrations will be happening in Britain and around the world during the Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend which takes place from 2nd to 5th June, and that includes here! How very exciting!
God bless our Queen! Long may she reign over us!
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Commemorative Bear was made by Merrythought in Britain. She has been hand made from customised, platinum-tipped diamond white mohair plush, and she has The Queen's blue eyes and a hand stitched nose and enigmatic smile. Her left paw is embroidered with the years 1952 and 2022, in between which sits the royal crown. She is wearing a coronation robe of purple velvet, featuring satin lining, ermine trim, and extensive golden embroidery. Keeping true to the original Imperial robe, it is accessorised with two satin bows and luxury Italian tassels to finish. Her crown is a silver-plated replica of the Imperial state crown, which Her Majesty wore as she left Westminster Abbey after her coronation. It is studded with twenty six gemstones, has a purple velvet lining and white ermine trim. Her Majesty the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Commemorative Bear is number 557 of a worldwide limited edition of 1952.
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Travelling all the way from London, Cousin Paddington was caught in transit thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, so it looks like he is stopping with us for a long while. That makes me happy, as the more I look into his happy, smiling face, the more attached I am becoming to him.
Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.
Jago was a gift from a dear friend in England. He is made of English mohair with suede paw pads and glass eyes. He is a gentle bear, kind and patient who carries an air of calm about him. He is already fitting in with everyone else very nicely.
Freddy Fox is made by Merrythought in England. I bought him, of all places, from a men’s accessory shop in Melbourne’s Block Arcade, called Mr. Wares. Freddy Fox is made of English Mohair with felt paws and glass bead eyes. He has so much charm and charisma that already he is winning hearts with anyone whom he meets, and he is kind and sweet, which makes him an ideal member of our family.
Cabbage is Paddy's Pug Dog. He was a gift to Paddy from a friend who also likes Pugs. He is fiercely loyal to Paddy, Scout, Cousin Paddington and Bogart, but seldom stays around long enough to have his picture taken, as there are always new adventures to sniff out.
Lettuce was a present from my two goddaughters to me to keep Cabbage company. My eldest Goddaughter, Polly, wisely suggested the name Lettuce since we already have Cabbage. She is very soft and sweet natured. She likes cuddles and warm laps a lot and like her older brother Cabbage she likes to sniff out adventures.
Duckie I saw when I was at a Sunday market on a stall of homemade knitted and crocheted items. She caught my eye straight away with her happy, smiley face and bright colours. I think she finds life with my bears intriguing and perhaps a little confusing, however she is learning.
