The real-life stuffed animals that inspired British writer A.A. Milne’s beloved Winnie-the-Pooh stories have resided in New York City for nearly eight decades. But as the world marks the centenary of the 1926 publication of Winnie-the-Pooh, a renewed effort has emerged to bring the historic teddy bear and his companions back to Britain, even if only for a royal vacation.
The stuffed troupe comprising Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga and Tigger—the childhood toys of Milne’s son, Christopher Robin—were donated to the New York Public Library (NYPL) in 1987, where they continue to form a centerpiece of the NYPL’s “Treasures” exhibition at the flagship Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue. Across the Atlantic, Britain celebrated the centenary with anniversary editions, special stamps, and local tributes.
Near Ashdown Forest, the inspiration for the fictional “Hundred Acre Wood,” enthusiasts gathered at the Pooh Corner tearoom to bury a time capsule destined to remain sealed until October 2126, the BBC’s Hannah Gray and Josh McLaughlin report. For some British fans, however, the toys’ continued residence across the pond feels like an unresolved exile. A post shared by The New York Public Library (@nypl) The latest debate was sparked when Gyles Brandreth, a biographer of Milne and trustee of the Queen’s Reading Room, Queen Camilla’s literary charity, approached NYPL leadership as an “emissary” of the Queen to explore the possibility of a temporary loan to Buckingham Palace ahead of the 100th anniversary, the Washington Post’s Steve Hendrix reports.
Library officials rebuffed the request. According to Brandreth, talks with NYPL President and CEO Anthony Marx quickly unraveled over the practical complexities of moving the fragile, 105-year-old toy bear across the Atlantic. When word of the talks circulated, New Yorkers were quick to push back.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal declared on social media that “an international incident has ensued.” “They are the property of the people of New York,” he added. Milne and Christopher Robin loved the bear being in America—that’s where the bear belongs.” The controversy over Pooh’s custody stretches back decades. Daphne Milne originally purchased the 20-inch Farnell teddy bear at Harrods in 1921 as a first-birthday gift for her son, Christopher Robin.
Her husband drew inspiration from his son’s playtime and their rambles through Ashdown Forest as he built the fictional world of Winnie-the-Pooh. In 1947, with the grown-up Christopher’s blessing, Milne sent the stuffed animals to the United States for a nationwide promotional tour organized by his American publisher, E.P. The toys remained in Dutton’s New York City offices until 1987, when the publisher donated them to the NYPL.
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