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Princess Charlotte has ‘adorable’ response to Paddington reading at Westminster Abbey service

‘Paddington’ star Hugh Bonneville paid tribute to the Queen with a reading at ‘Together at Christmas’ service

Isobel Lewis
Sunday 25 December 2022 11:58 GMT
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Princess Charlotte reacts to Paddington Bear Queen tribute

Princess Charlotte stole the show at the Westminster Abbey Carol Concert with her “sweet” reaction to an appearance by Paddington star Hugh Bonneville.

Recorded earlier this month and broadcast on Christmas Eve, the Together at Christmas service saw the Cambridge family come together for the event, which was hosted by the Princess of Wales.

The Prince of Wales and Prince George were also in attendance at the ceremony, which was filmed earlier this month.

As part of the celebrations, Hugh Bonneville, who plays Mr Brown in the Paddington films, did a reading in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

As the announcement was made that Bonneville would be reading “a Christmas letter from Paddington Bear”, Charlotte, seven, was seen excitedly speaking to her mother Kate Middleton and grinning.

The clip was shared on Twitter, with viewers commenting on Charlotte’s excitement.

“Princess Charlotte’s excitement when she heard the words ‘Paddington Bear’ was priceless!” one commenter wrote.

Another tweet read: “Beautiful Princess Charlotte, excited at the Paddington Bear tribute. The first Christmas without Her Majesty, it’s bittersweet, although it’s wonderful to see they are united.”

The Cambridge family arriving at Westminster Abbey (Getty Images)

“Charlotte’s reaction to hearing that a letter from Paddington Bear would be read by Hugh Bonneville,” another commenter wrote.

“A Christmas letter from Paddington Bear! The look on Princess Charlotte’s face was just adorable. At last it feels like Christmas,” one Twitter user said.

The Queen was a huge fan of Paddington and starred opposite the CGI bear, voiced by Ben Whishaw, in a sketch for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer.

In the pre-recorded segment, the Queen enjoyed a lunch of marmalade sandwiches with Paddington.

Prince George and Prince Charlotte at the ‘Together at Christmas’ service (Getty Images)

This Christmas is particularly significant for the royal family, as it is not only the first without the Queen, but the first featuring a King’s Speech from Charles.

The Queen had delivered every televised festive speech since the inaugural broadcast of 1957, before which her message had been carried on radio since 1932.

The last time a king gave the address, it was her father, King George VI, who stood behind the microphone to reflect on the events of 1951.

The King’s Speech, which was pre-recorded by His Majesty at Sandringham on 13 December, will be shown at 3pm on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV One and Sky One and last for 10 minutes.

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