Winnie the Pooh meets the Queen as they celebrate their 90th birthdays

THEY HAVE both been a part of British life for 90 years but their paths have never crossed until now.
An image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA WireAn image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA Wire
An image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA Wire

A new Winnie-the-Pooh adventure which sees the bear meet the Queen for the first time is being released to celebrate both of their 90th birthdays.

The illustrated story is called Winnie-The-Pooh And The Royal Birthday.

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And there is also an audio video version of the story narrated by Oscar winning actor Jim Broadbent.

An image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA WireAn image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA Wire
An image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA Wire

The story sees Pooh travel to Buckingham Palace with other characters including Christopher Robin, Piglet and Eeyore to deliver a special present to the 90-year-old monarch.

The Queen, appearing in a red coat and hat with familiar black gloves and handbag, is depicted listening to the honey-loving bear as he recites her a birthday “hum” or poem after a chance encounter when he spots her going for a stroll outside Buckingham Palace.

Prince George also makes an appearance in the book - recognisable in the drawing by his blonde side-parted hair, and wearing a blue cardigan and trademark shorts. Rather than being mentioned by name, he is described only as a little boy running behind the Queen and as “much younger than Christopher Robin and almost as bouncy as Tigger”.

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George is given a red balloon by Piglet, pats him on the head and tickles Pooh’s ears.

Jim Broadbent, who has narrated a new Winnie-the-Pooh adventure which sees the bear of meet the Queen for the first time..  Photo: David Parry/PA WireJim Broadbent, who has narrated a new Winnie-the-Pooh adventure which sees the bear of meet the Queen for the first time..  Photo: David Parry/PA Wire
Jim Broadbent, who has narrated a new Winnie-the-Pooh adventure which sees the bear of meet the Queen for the first time.. Photo: David Parry/PA Wire

The colourful drawings in the new tale are in the classic EH Shepard style and by illustrator Mark Burgess, who also drew the pictures for the first authorised sequel to Winnie-the-Pooh - Return To The Hundred Acre Wood - in 2009.

Penned by Jane Riordan, the short story sees Pooh, Piglet, Christopher Robin and Eeyore travel through London in an open top red double decker bus.

It is the first time the character has met the Queen in a Winnie-the-Pooh story.

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The release - which is available free at www.Disney.co.uk/WinnieRoyalBirthday - was written to celebrate the Queen’s official birthday in June along with Winnie-the-Pooh’s official 90th anniversary.

An image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA WireAn image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA Wire
An image from the new book. Photo: Disney/PA Wire

AA Milne’s Pooh bear first appeared in a story book - called Winnie-the-Pooh - in October 1926 - although he previously featured in a poem and a tale in a newspaper.

Broadbent said he thoroughly enjoying being part of the new adventure.

“I have been a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh since I was a boy, in fact I named my very first and much loved teddy Pooh and that can only have been after the AA Milne character. I’ve loved being part of this story to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday and Winnie-the-Pooh’s 90th anniversary; it’s been an honour to narrate such an iconic story and I want to wish both Her Majesty The Queen and Winnie-the-Pooh a very Happy 90th.”

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As a youngster, Princess Elizabeth was said to have loved the Pooh tales. AA Milne’s collection of poems, Teddy Bear And The Other Songs From When We Were Very Young, was dedicated to her when published in 1926 - the year of her birth. She was also given a Christopher Robin china nursery set with hand-coloured pictures of Christopher Robin, Pooh and friends as a child. Nicole Pearson, creative director at Egmont Publishing, said: “This is a celebration of two very British icons that have been part of our British heritage for 90 years.”

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