Stop leaving Paddington bear and marmalade tributes for the Queen, mourners told

Mourners have been told not to leave bears, balloons or lit candles at a tribute site in Green Park
Sami Quadri12 September 2022

Mourners have been asked not to leave anything except unwrapped flowers in tribute to the Queen.

People have come up with creative ways to pay their respects to Her Majesty with some leaving marmalade sandwiches and Paddington Bear toys in a nod to her Platinum Jubilee sketch.

However, mourners are now being urged not to leave bears, balloons or lit candles at a dedicated site in Green Park, half a mile from Buckingham Palace.

The Royal Parks, which manages the site, said on its website: "In the interests of sustainability, we ask visitors to only lay organic or compostable material.”

The Royal Parks said cards and labels are permitted, and would later be “separated from flowers and stored”.

“Unfortunately, no gifts and artefacts will be accepted, and the public will be asked not to bring these to the parks,” it added.

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

They added that lit candles are not accepted in the park and will be removed.

In addtion, all plastic wrapping must be removed from flowers. Park officials state that “removing the wrapping will aid the longevity of the flowers and will assist in subsequent composting which will start between one week and a fortnight after the date of the funeral”.

It comes after tens of thousands of people gathered in central London on Sunday to celebrate the life of the Queen.

An emotionally charged atmosphere saw mourners deliver hundreds of bouquets of flowers to add to the sea of floral tributes already engulfing Green Park.

Thousands of well-wishers also flocked to Windsor on Sunday, clutching bunches of flowers as they gathered to commemorate Her Majesty.

At Sandringham thousands laid floral tributes outside the Norwich Gates - the pile of flowers had reportedly grown to more than 30ft thick by Sunday afternoon.

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