Rather than appearing in person, the 75-year-old monarch’s image appears on a stamp on a letter that Paddington receives early in the movie.
The scene shows Paddington Bear in his room at Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s home in London. Mrs. Brown hands him a letter from his Aunt Lucy in Peru, where the King’s face appears on a rare, front-facing stamp, rather than the usual profile view.
Shortly after this cameo, the late Queen Elizabeth also makes a heartwarming appearance.
In Paddington’s room, there’s a photo of the Queen having tea with Paddington, a nod to her Platinum Jubilee celebration, where the two famously shared a humorous tea moment.
Producer Rosie Alison shared that the royal family was “very happy” for the photo’s inclusion, though they wanted to keep it low-key in keeping with Paddington’s modest nature.
Paddington in Peru, premiering in the UK on November 8, follows the bear’s journey back to Peru to visit Aunt Lucy at the Home for Retired Bears. Familiar cast members like Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, and Imelda Staunton return, while Emily Mortimer, Olivia Colman, and Antonio Banderas join the cast.
During the first screening in London, audiences enjoyed Olivia Colman’s scenes as a guitar-playing nun with a hidden secret, and the return of comedic villain Phoenix Buchanan, played by Hugh Grant.
In a humorous end scene, Paddington visits Phoenix in jail and introduces him to his “tribe,” who have traveled all the way from Peru to experience Paddington’s London.
