Queen Camilla has marked the centenary of the first Winnie-the-Pooh book by visiting Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood, and taking part in a game of Poohsticks. The 78-year-old monarch, who is patron of the Royal Literary Fund, played the game on the original bridge from A. A. Milne’s classic stories.
Centenary Celebrations
The visit celebrates 100 years since the publication of the first Winnie-the-Pooh book in 1926, which introduced beloved characters such as Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet. Camilla played Poohsticks with three children who recently won a Winnie-the-Pooh-themed poetry competition organised by Ashdown Forest in partnership with the Royal Literary Fund.
Before the game, Gyles Brandreth, wearing a Pooh sweater, read a passage from The House at Pooh Corner explaining how the game was invented. Using sticks from Buckingham Palace garden, the players competed—with Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler emerging as the winner. Camilla joked beforehand, “I was very worried about the water,” but the flow was sufficient for the games.
Meeting Authors and Volunteers
Camilla also met Edward Kemp, Chief Executive of the Royal Literary Fund, and children’s authors and illustrators including Dame Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler, Jane Riordan, Sita Brahmachari, and Cerrie Burnell to discuss the work of the Royal Literary Fund. She later visited the A. A. Milne & E. H. Shepard Memorial, where she met volunteers and staff. Children from Ashdown Primary School lined the route waving Union Flags.
Unveiling the Queen's Walk
The Queen unveiled an all-weather trail named the Queen’s Walk and cut a celebratory cake. In a speech, she said: “I’ve got a few things to say before I go. First of all, how pleased I am to be back in Sussex which was my childhood home and secondly have the opportunity of being able to play Pooh Sticks again, something I spent a lot of time as a child playing Pooh Sticks but never at the original place.”
She added: “So it's the big first in my life to play on the proper bridge even to come away with a first at the end of it, having seen how the fast lane was. I'm thrilled to have this walk called after me. I'm sure thousands of people will come flocking in—Winnie-the-Pooh is a universal hero. People love him and his friends all over the world. I think now this walk is open, I'm sure a lot of people come to Ashdown Forest anyway but they'll come pouring in to see this wonderful trail and to see Piglet's house which I've seen too, so it'll be a lovely experience to all especially children. So thank you very much for having me today. Thank you.”
Competitive Spirit
Camilla also competed against three Winnie-the-Pooh poetry winners: Yici Zhang, 10, of High Wycombe; Esme Coulter, 17, of Bath; and Miriam Mason, 70, of Banbury. After winning a surprise third game against three children from St Mary the Virgin school in Hartfield, who were on a geography field trip, she said: “I’ve got the hang of it now.” Esme Coulter said afterwards: “It was fun, everyone was quite competitive, I believe I came joint third, it was hard to tell, but amazing. I have been practising.”
