Queen Elizabeth II makes shock cameo in Paddington movie two years after death

The late Queen Elizabeth II is making a surprise Hollywood movie cameo.

Her Majesty, who died aged 96 on 8 September 2022 at her beloved Balmoral estate in , will be appearing in Paddington in Peru when it is released on 8 November after a seven-year wait from the last sequel about the marmalade loving bear.

The late monarch was famed for her sense of fun when it came to getting involved in Hollywood stunts – appearing with Daniel Craig in a James Bond sketch to mark the start of the London Olympics in 2012.

She also sat down with a version of Paddington for tea and a marmalade sandwich for a skit filmed for her 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations. A section of footage of her with the CGI bear will make up her cameo in Paddington 3, which will star The Crown actress Olivia Colman.

Approval from was needed to use the Paddington footage featuring the Queen, and the producer of Paddington 3 said the was “very happy for it to happen”.

Ron Halpern, head of global productions at Studiocanal, which is behind the bear film, added to Variety its use came “with the consent and agreement of the royal household”.

Producer Rosie Alison added to the publication: “(The royal family) were actually very happy for it to happen. But we don’t like to make a big deal of it, because Paddington’s obviously a very modest fellow.”

Olivia, 50, said she “signed without hesitation” to appear in Paddington 3, and will return to the franchise to play nun the Reverend Mother.

She said: “Paddington is just the best person in the whole wide . Imagine if everyone was like Paddington – wouldn’t that be lovely?”

The film will follows the iconic bear, which is animated and voiced by actor Ben Whishaw, 44, as he travels abroad to visit Aunt Lucy in his homeland of Peru.