Get stuffed, Britain.
The Crown is once again locked in a tug of war with New York Public Library officials over the original Winnie-the-Pooh bear. But the city’s library leaders insist the beloved stuffed animal is now a bona fide New Yorker—and that the royals should forget about taking him home.
The latest dispute appears to have been sparked by this month’s centennial celebration of the children’s classic. At the center of the standoff is the 105-year-old toy that belonged to Christopher Robin Milne, son of English author A.A. Milne, who created Winnie-the-Pooh. Queen Camilla is reportedly leading Britain’s renewed campaign.
The Queen has asked that the original Pooh be permitted to return temporarily to Britain after spending decades behind glass at the NYPL’s Bryant Park branch in Manhattan. According to the Washington Post, the royal family has even offered to house the bear in one of its castles.
Britain would also like to borrow the original stuffed versions of Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood companions—Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga and Tigger—which are part of the library’s collection.
The United Kingdom has marked the book’s anniversary with special editions, commemorative stamps, LEGO sets and a newly authorized sequel, “A Little Boy and His Bear.”
Some British readers, however, are apparently unhappy that the original Pooh and his friends are absent from the celebrations.
Appeals from across the Atlantic have so far made little impression on the NYPL, which maintains that Pooh and his companions are now legal residents of the United States.
“The New York Public Library has been the proud steward of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends since 1987, when the dolls were donated to us by Dutton Children’s Books,” Melissa Grace, the NYPL’s director of communications, said in a statement to The Post.
“On permanent display at our flagship location in Midtown Manhattan, Christopher Robin’s childhood toys are a cornerstone of our renowned children’s literature collection,” she said, referring to the boy who inspired the character of Christopher Robin.
“We’re excited to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh, and invite everyone to see them up-close in our Treasures exhibition—always for free,” Grace added.
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Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal also weighed in on Britain’s request, challenging the British to “come and take it.”
British commentators have recently revisited the question in opinion pieces, including columns published by outlets such as the New York Post. Some have humorously debated where the bear belongs, with one cheeky suggestion that the UK offer Meghan Markle as part of a trade.
Queen Camilla, meanwhile, appears to be pursuing a more diplomatic route.
“It’s not a campaign. It’s an invitation,” Gyles Brandreth, a friend of Milne and representative of Camilla, told the Washington Post.
British lawmakers began seeking the toy’s return years ago, prompting then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to reject the request in 1998. He called the stuffed bear “an example of the very best in immigration.”
“Pooh on you!” declared The Post’s Feb. 5, 1998, front page in coverage of the “Trans-Atlantic battle.”
The British later raised the matter with then-President Barack Obama. According to the Washington Post, an aide in the Oval Office reportedly asked the NYPL whether a compromise could be arranged.
“The answer is no,” Anthony Marx, then president of the NYPL, responded.
More than two decades later, the answer remains unchanged.
The NYPL is celebrating Winnie-the-Pooh’s 100th anniversary all fall long and recently had a special birthday party for him.
London-born Milne published “Winnie-the-Pooh,” the first of several short storybooks featuring the honey-loving bear and his friends, on Oct. 14, 1926.
Buckingham Palace did not return requests for comment by The Post.
