EXCLUSIVE: Daughter of Paddington creator Michael Bond says it’s ‘sad’ mourners have been told not to leave toy bear tributes to the Queen as security teams urge public to bring marmalade in JARS instead of sandwiches so its easier to remove

• Paddington creator’s daughter said it was ‘sad’ the bears could no longer be left 
• Royal Parks said people should only leave ‘unwrapped’ flowers in Green Park
• Tens of thousands of people flocked to Green Park today to leave tributes
• Children have left Paddingtons and sandwiches after the Queen’s Jubilee sketch
• But Royal Parks encourage people to only leave ‘organic’ decomposable tributes
• Royal Family news LIVE: Latest updates as King Charles III speaks to Parliament
• Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing

The daughter of Paddington creator Michael Bond says it is sad mourners have been told not to leave bear tributes to the Queen – after Royal Parks banned the teddies.

Karen Jankel, 64, said her late father – who died in 2017 – would have been ‘overwhelmed’ by his beloved creation being used to honour Her Majesty.

So many Paddingtons have been left outside the royal residences and a special floral tribute area in Green Park, organisers this morning asked for no more to be brought.

But while Ms Jankel signaled disappointment at the bear ban, she admitted she understood the decision.

And she suggested perhaps Paddington-themed pictures or messages could be laid instead and a donation to charity in lieu of buying one of the cuddly toys.

She told MailOnline: ‘I think it is sad but on the other hand I can understand with it’s difficult because there are so many of them.

‘It is very lovely but there are so many of them. I’m quite sure that charities could benefit from collecting them but someone has got to go and do it.

‘I think my father would have been overwhelmed by the enormity of it.

Karen Jankel, 64, with her father Michael Bond and his famous creation before his death

Children today had still left Paddingtons and sandwiches after the Queen’s Jubilee sketch

So many Paddingtons have been left outside the royal residences and a special floral tribute area in Green Park, organisers this morning asked for no more to be brought

A marmalade sandwich had been left by some mourners sad about the death of the Queen

‘It’s very humbling and rather lovely that Paddington has become so associated with the Queen, thanks of course to the recent short film.

‘That’s how many people will remember her, laughing and joking and of course the fact we all learned what the Queen kept in her handbag.

‘Maybe rather than the bears, perhaps people could do messages or drawings or maybe donations is a better way to do it, rather than spending money on things.’

Children across the nation have paid their respects with the teddy bears and sandwiches in a nod to the delightful sketch filmed for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June.  

Organisers at the Queen’s Green Park memorial site today declared mourners can no longer leave Paddington Bears or marmalade sandwiches to pay their respects.

A couple were left in freezer bags among the thousands of flowers as odes to her jubilee address with Paddington Bear.

One read: ‘A marmalade sandwich for your heavenly travels! Thank you Ma’am.’

Another had just ‘marmalade sandwich’ written on the bag.

This charming Paddington toy had been bought new and placed with a lovely tribute to Queen

Many floral tributes were still being laid today in Green Park without wrappers on the flowers

The plastic wrapping was being taken off and put into bins by helpful volunteers on had

However despite the rules set out by Royal Parks, sandwiches have not been a major problem for volunteers clearing the site, the flower wrappings have.

As thousands poured in passers-by from across the world took up the mantle to remove cellophane from the flowers so they can eventually be composted.

One 73-year-old woman, Christina Walters, decided to help after this morning hearing on the television they were removing plastic from visitors’ flowers.

Another pensioner, Pam Roger, was just walking by when she saw the memorial site and people clearing rubbish.

Her newly-formed team included a deaf woman, an American businesswoman, and some people from Singapore.

Together they removed the plastic and reorganised the colourful flowers around cards left by children and grieving people.

Security teams encouraged visitors to cut off any flower-wrapping and deposit it in the wheelie bins before entering.

Endless mounds of rubbish bags filled with flower packaging were piled into a disposal truck.

 Royal Parks bosses have asked mourners to stop leaving Paddington Bear and marmalade sandwich tributes in honour of the Queen – and to stick to unwrapped flowers instead. Pictured: floral tributes in Green Park today

Children across the nation have paid their respects with the teddy bears and sandwiches in a nod to the delightful sketch filmed for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June. Pictured: A Paddington tribute left outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on September 10

But Royal Parks, which manages the dedicated site for tributes at Green Park, said only unwrapped floral tributes should be left in memory of Her Majesty. Pictured: A marmalade sandwich left for the Queen outside Balmoral Castle

One of the security team, who didn’t want to be named, had heard of the stories of marmalade sandwiches being left.

Though he hadn’t seen any sandwiches himself he said he would encourage people to bring marmalade in a jar so it’s easier for volunteers and workers to remove.

Christina was carrying a huge pile of cellophane when she said: ‘I’m just helping out, I heard on the TV they want all the plastic taken off because they’re trying to compost those.

‘I know they were talking about people bringing in Paddington bears and jars of marmalade, but I’ve not really seen any being brought in.

‘There’s the odd Paddington bear around but I don’t know what they’ll do with them because they’ll be wet, so I guess they can’t give them away.’

Pam, 70, said she was just walking by when she thought she’d lend a hand.

‘The people who are helping have come from all over, there’s a lady from America, she’s just here on business from there. One of the ladies is heavily deaf. There are a few from Singapore.

‘Everyone just helps out until they get tired and then someone comes along and fills their space.

The Queen and Paddington Bear appeared in a comic sketch for her Platinum Jubilee in June

In a simple, yet heartwarming tribute posted on Twitter, Paddington Bear said: ‘Thank you Ma’am, for everything.’

‘Somebody from Buckingham Palace came over to say thank you to everybody for their help. She didn’t say who she was, but she looked like she was from Buckingham Palace and said sort of thank you for helping, from everyone at the Palace.’

The security guard said the flowers would be decomposed and the teams at the park are trying to make the memorial site as environmentally friendly as possible.

‘The flowers are going to be made into compost, the plastic is going to be recycled.

‘The issues with the marmalade is it doesn’t get composted in the same way, it might make manure.

‘I’d recommend people bring their marmalade in jars, because that way we can just easily pick them up and move them out of the way or somewhere else.

‘But they’re allowed to do whatever they want, we’re just trying to make it as environmentally friendly as possible.

‘We’re trying to help out the park staff because they can’t cope. As you can see at the moment, we’re getting mad busy.’

In a statement on their website issued this morning Royal Parks said: ‘Unfortunately, no gifts and artefacts will be accepted and the public will be asked not to bring these to the parks. 

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

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