To mark Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, a new story has been released about a beloved children’s book character who, as it happens, also turns 90 years old this year: Winnie-the-Pooh.
The adorable tale “Winnie-the-Pooh and the Royal Birthday” picks up the same cast of characters first brought to life by A.A. Milne in 1926. There’s Pooh, of course, and Piglet, and Eyore, and Owl, and Kanga, and even Christopher Robin, who isn’t the only boy to show up in the book.
After Christopher Robin—“who knew a great deal about far away places like the other side of the Forest and London”—informs his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood of the Queen’s upcoming birthday, they decide to bring her a present: a red balloon. And so, the group travels to London to deliver the gift. When they finally meet the Queen they find her with a most unusual companion.
“Behind The Queen ran a little boy. He was much younger than Christopher Robin and almost as bouncy as Tigger. He caught sight of Piglet and the balloon and he jumped up and down in delight. The little boy patted Piglet fondly and tickled Winnie-the-Pooh’s ears. Piglet handed him the beautiful balloon and he giggled and skipped away with it.”
That’s it, Prince George has officially had the coolest childhood of all time.
The illustrated book was written by Jane Riordan and illustrated by Mark Burgess. You can download the entire story for free here.
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