Paddington Bear

Since the Platinum Jubilee and a fantastic stint featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II, Paddington Bear has become synonymous with British culture. Having said that, his origins are the deepest darkest jungles of Peru. 

Paddington Bear originally started as a book series written by British author Michael Bond. Targeted at children, Paddington Bear starts with a rather difficult life. His home jungle is destroyed by a wildfire and his Aunt Lucy sends him to London to start a new life. He’s kindly taken in by the Brown family and he learns about the importance of family values as well as how to adapt to an entirely new life. Paddington’s experiences are documented in the 56-book series and are loved by many children across the country. 

Paddington Bear is an interesting character, identified by wearing his blue duffle coat, red bush hat and wellington boots. He also carried around a brown leather suitcase with him. He’s also famous for his love of marmalade sandwiches. He always keeps an “emergency sandwich” tucked away in his hat.  

 Following the success of the book series, Paddington soon became a staple in the UK, with soft toys being made and, eventually, comedy films and animated series. Most recently, Paddington Bear appeared in a skit to celebrate the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th year on the throne. At Her late Majesty’s funeral, many children left cards or drawings or Paddington Bear or even their toy bears to commemorate her life.