The 105-year-old teddy bear that inspired A.A. Milne to create Winnie-the-Pooh is at the center of a renewed transatlantic dispute as British officials push for its return from New York City for the book’s centenary.
Queen Camilla Leads Push to Return Original Toys to the United Kingdom
The original stuffed animals belonging to Christopher Robin Milne have resided behind glass at the New York Public Library since 1987, when Dutton Children’s Books donated the collection, according to library communications director Melissa Grace. Queen Camilla initiated a request for the original Winnie-the-Pooh bear to return briefly to the United Kingdom for the October centenary celebrations of the famous children’s book. The UK also lays claim to the original plush toys for Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Tigger.
This is not a campaign. It’s an invitation,
Gyles Brandreth, a friend of the Milne family and a spokesman for Queen Camilla, told the New York Post. The royal family offered to house the bear in a royal castle during its visit, while British columnists published speculation about the bear’s location, with one writer jokingly suggesting an exchange for Meghan Markle.
New York Officials Reject British Demands to Relocate the Historic Bear
Library officials maintain that the historic toys are permanent residents of Manhattan. The New York Public Library has proudly held Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends since 1987,
Grace said, noting that the toys remain on permanent display in the main branch’s children’s literature collection at Bryant Park. Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Segal challenged the British directly with the message, Come and get them.
The current disagreement mirrors previous diplomatic friction over the collection. In 1998, then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani dismissed similar demands from the British Parliament, characterizing the teddy bear as an example of immigration at its finest.
Later inquiries from British representatives to the Oval Office during the administration of then-U.S. President Barack Obama also met with refusal from library leadership.
🇬🇧🇺🇸 UK calls on New York Public Library to return original Winnie the Pooh stuffed bear pic.twitter.com/fZPFvZ5feI
Frequently Asked Questions About the Winnie-the-Pooh Toys in New York
How did the original Winnie-the-Pooh toys arrive in New York?
Dutton Children’s Books donated the historic plush toys to the New York Public Library in 1987, establishing their permanent home in the Midtown Manhattan collection.
Can visitors view the original Christopher Robin toys in Manhattan?
The library exhibits the original bear, Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Tigger permanently in its main branch at Bryant Park as part of the children’s literature collection, with free admission for the public.
When was the original Winnie-the-Pooh book published?
London-born author A.A. Milne published the first book of stories about the honey-loving bear on October 14, 1926.