Paddington Bear, a beloved character who first came to London 66 years ago according to history, has finally received a British passport. Don’t count on him flying off anywhere anytime soon, though.
The Peruvian bear’s passport was requested by filmmakers to be used as a prop in the upcoming film Paddington in Peru.
Paddington in Peru, sees the bear – voiced by Ben Whishaw and named after the London train station – receive official documents which mean he can now travel abroad to visit his Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) in his homeland.
But before you get too excited, the Home Office confirmed to the BBC that it is actually a copy of the document and cannot be used for travel.
“You wouldn’t think the Home Office would have a sense of humour, but during official sightings they’ve just listed him as a bear,” Silva commented.
“You wouldn’t think the Home Office would have a sense of humour, but during official sightings they’ve just listed him as a bear.”
The character, full name Paddington Brown, was born and orphaned in Peru as a youngster and arrived in London stowed away on a lifeboat.
Bond recalled to the BBC in 2017: “When I was a kid I had memories of children being evacuated from London with a tag around their neck and all their possessions in a suitcase, and this became part of Paddington too.”
He added: “Paddington Bear was a refugee with a tag – ‘Please look after this bear. Thank you’, and he had a small suitcase.”
In the story, Paddington arrives as a stowaway on a boat from South America and finds a home with the Brown family, who name him after the London train station where they discovered him.
The popular film series, with Ben Whishaw as the voice of Paddington, is based on Bond’s books. The third installment, Paddington in Peru, will hit theaters in November.
Paddington is also famous for having tea with the late Queen Elizabeth II during her platinum jubilee celebrations.
