Work has begun to clear the profusion of floral tributes left in London's Royal Parks following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8.
After being cleared by Royal Parks staff and volunteers, the flowers will be transported to Hyde Park nursery before being composted in Kensington Gardens. The compost will then be used on landscaping projects and shrubberies across the parks.
Alongside the multitude of buds, a rather less compostable tribute was left for the queen in the shape of Paddington bears galore. This was as a consequence of the rip-roaring success of the queen's sketch with Paddington, the fictional character in children's literature, for her platinum jubilee celebrations.
The Paddingtons will be kept in storage, alongside other non-compostable tributes, until the parks and their partners “agree what we do with them over the next few months with discretion and sensitivity".
On the eve of his mother's September 16 funeral, King Charles III proclaimed his gratitude to the nation for the part it played in saying farewell to the long-serving queen.
"Over the last 10 days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world.
"In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff, we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, the late queen.
"As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief."
Floral tributes to the Queen - in pictures
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King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla inspect floral tributes left for his late mother Queen Elizabeth II outside Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Getty -
A picture of Queen Elizabeth is among flowers left by mourners outside Buckingham Palace in London. AFP -
Members of the public leave flowers and tributes at The Long Walk gates in front of Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. Getty -
Members of the public look at flowers and tributes left in Green Park in London. AFP -
Flowers and tributes placed by mourners at the Cambridge gate outside Windsor Castle, west of London. AFP -
A child lays flowers in remembrance of Queen Elizabeth outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. AP
