Queen Camilla had a rather special guest onboard her flight to the US earlier this week, as Her Majesty was tasked with caring for a bespoke replica of Roo.
Video footage captured Camilla transporting Roo, a replica of a missing toy that belonged to Christopher Robin Milne, son of AA Milne who wrote the Winnie-the-Pooh children’s book series, to the US as part of her and King Charles‘s state visit.
The original toy went missing in an English orchard in the 1930s. However, the Queen, 78, has finally returned Roo to its rightful owners ahead of Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th anniversary this year.
Visiting New York Public Library yesterday, Camilla reunited a bespoke replica Roo, produced by teddy bear manufacturer Merrythought, with its original companions, Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Kanga and Eeyore.
Pooh and the rest of his friends have been in the US and on display at the library’s Treasures collection since 1947 after Christopher Robin gifted them to his father’s American publisher.
Now, in heartwarming video footage shared by the Royal Family on social media, baby Roo was seen experiencing the VIP treatment onboard Their Majesties’ flight as it travelled from Buckingham Palace all the way to New York City.
Greeted at the royal residence with a red carpet, Roo was carried up a staircase from a red carpet, even getting a luxury view sat on the shoulder of the royal pilot.
Ensuring the replica was in safe hands, Camilla was captured playfully reading the toy a book, while she later ensured to place Roo in her black Lady Dior handbag.
Video footage has captured Camilla transporting Roo, a replica of a missing toy that belonged to Christopher Robin Milne, son of AA Milne who wrote the Winnie-the-Pooh children’s book series, to the US as part of her and King Charles’s state visit
In heartwarming video footage shared by the Royal Family on social media, baby Roo was seen experiencing the VIP treatment onboard Their Majesties’ flight as it travelled from Buckingham Palace all the way to New York City
A few days after the soft toy had made a safe arrival across the pond, the Queen was responsible for delivering it to the Library, where she met with Anthony Marx, president and chief executive of the library.
Travelling in the Queen’s bag, the replica then enjoyed a lavish ceremonial welcome and was even carried in on a cushion embellished with the Union flag – a recognition of the significance of its return.
Camilla’s visit marks the first of a British royal since its founding in 1985, and she spoke fondly about her Reading Room charity, while also offering a glimpse into her hectic US state visit with the King.
‘I’m hoping my voice isn’t going to conk out before the end of this speech,’ Camilla jokingly remarked during a reception at the library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
‘As you can imagine, I have been talking quite a lot over the past few days,’ she added.
Touring an exhibit of Anglo-American items with actress Sarah Jessica Parker, Camilla was also reunited with Dame Anna Wintour, Global Editorial Director of Vogue, who removed her trademark sunglasses to greet the royal visitor with kisses.
The Queen, in a navy blue crepe silk dress and coat by Fiona Clare, with a Britannia red, white and blue brooch that belonged to the late Queen, was at the New York Public Library for the event hosted by her charity, the Queen’s Reading Room.
Introducing her to the room, US TV host and author Jenna Bush Hager, whose Read With Jenna book club features on NBC’s morning programme the Today Show, said of the Queen: ‘Books are part of her DNA.’
Ensuring the replica was in safe hands, Camilla was captured playfully reading the toy a book, while she later ensured to place Roo in her black Lady Dior handbag
A few days after the soft toy had made a safe arrival across the pond, the Queen was responsible for delivering it to the Library, where she met with Anthony Marx, president and chief executive of the library
In her own speech, Camilla described the venue as ‘one of the world’s greatest libraries, and somewhere I have always wanted to visit.’
Describing how her father inspired a love of reading in her as a child, she said: ‘Indeed, the first Americans I knew and loved were the characters I met in my treasured children’s novels: Little Women, What Katy Did, Charlotte’s Web… I knew, even then, that books are the best friend you can have – in good times and bad.’
Around 100 guests from the literary, publishing and cultural worlds in the US and UK, including singer Katherine Jenkins and the authors Harlan Coben, Min Jin Lee and Tina Brown, mingled in the historic Stephen A Schwarzman building on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.
The landmark has featured in dozens of movies and TV shows, dating back to 42nd Street in 1933 and taking in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Ghostbusters and Sex and the City.
In the latter, Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw was stood up at the library on her wedding day by Mr Big and rushed down the grand staircase of the library’s Astor Hall to leave.
Camilla and Sarah Jessica echoed Carrie’s route down the stairs after being reunited at the reception, having met in London earlier this year. The actress is a Booker Prize judge.
Speaking ahead of their meeting, she described the Queen’s visit as ‘great for all New Yorkers’.
She added: ‘I think anytime we have an opportunity to talk about our libraries and talk about literacy, I know that the Queen has spent a great deal of time focusing on that in her country.
‘She mentioned that there was this opportunity for a sort of bridge project, and our libraries are, you know, they’re challenged a lot with funding and support.
‘So I’m thrilled that we get to be in this extraordinary building. Patience and fortitude and highlight this extraordinary repository for these documents, and that she’s made it her business to carve out time to talk about this birthday, and what lies here, that illustrates our history.’
She said that the last time she met the Queen, ‘we talked about books’.