'Paddington girl' meets Prince William by chance

A royal fan dubbed "Paddington girl" after gifting her stuffed bear to the newly titled Prince of Wales was there "by chance", her father has said.

Alina, 7, from Yate, was seen handing Prince William the toy as he greeted mourners in Windsor on 10 September.

She had travelled down with her family after he took an unexpected day off.

Her father, Richard, said it was Alina's idea to buy a Paddington bear after the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in which it had featured in a sketch.

Richard said he and his family had been to visit his wife Andrea's parents near London, and thought they should go and pay respects to the late Queen while they were there.

However, he said "with London being so busy", they decided to visit the Berkshire estate instead.

Richard said on their way, they decided to pick up some flowers but ended up buying the soft toy instead after Alina suggested it would be a good idea as "she'd seen the video of the Queen and Paddington bear earlier on in the year".

Attaching a note from both Alina and her five-year-old brother, Richard, her father said the plan was to leave Paddington "on the gates with the flowers" but when they "got to the Long Walk in Windsor Great Park", they saw groups of people forming and barriers being erected.

"Word of mouth was that Prince William was going to be there, we weren't at this point aware it was going to be Prince Harry as well," he said.

Princes William and Harry, alongside their wives Catherine and Meghan, greeted mourners in Windsor.

It was the first time all four had been seen together in public for more than two years.

Richard said he and his family were initially at the back of the crowd, but eventually moved closer to the barrier when two families in-front of them had to leave "because their car parking ticket was about to expire".

"My two children couldn't see, so my son Richard went on my wife's shoulders and Alina went on mine," he added.

Richard said there was a gasp as Prince William, Prince Harry and their wives started to talk to the crowd.

"It dawned on us all that William was going to be with us in the minute," he said.

"I said to Alina - wouldn't it be nice if you personally handed Paddington to Prince William? - so when he came up to us, they got eye contact and Alina passed him the bear," he added.

Richard said the newly titled Prince of Wales then said "something along the lines of - shall I put him with the flowers or keep him?"

Richard said his daughter then "went a bit quiet" so he suggested the Prince gave them to his children.

Richard said the Prince told him "I might give him to George" and passed the toy to one of his aides.

Richard said the family "didn't realise it was being broadcast on the television" and that in the past 24 hours "it's blown up in all the online papers".

Alina's father said the visit reminded him of a time he saw the Queen in 1981 as a young boy.

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