I’m the royal superfan who gave a Paddington Bear card to Louis after 300-mile round trip

The ‘superfan’ whose Paddington card delighted Prince Louis yesterday has told of his 300-mile round trip to Sandringham to see the Royal Family at Christmas.

Maths teacher Peter Wilkinson, 58, has made the festive pilgrimage from Leeds to Norfolk each Christmas for several years.

‘I was at the front of the crowd and I’d adapted a Paddington Bear card which I thought the Prince and Princess of Wales’ children would like,’ he told MailOnline.

‘When the Royal Family came down the line, I asked one of the royal aides if he would pass my card to Prince Louis, who then obviously caught sight of the picture of Paddington and asked for it himself.

The Paddington Bear card delighted young Prince Louis during the royal walkabout in Sandringham yesterday

‘He ran up to Kate with it and she read him the message inside which was really nice, and made the whole thing worthwhile’ said Peter.

‘I also gave flowers to the Queen Consort and the Countess of Wessex,’ he added.

Peter explained his affection for the late Queen and her family began at an early age.

‘I’ve always been interested in the Royal Family since I was given a commemorative item by my parents when I was a child,’ said Peter, who teaches at The Grammar School At Leeds.

Until this year, Peter had been accompanied by his mother Barbara, but sadly she died this year, so he journeyed alone this time.

‘I stayed in a Travelodge nearby on Christmas Eve to make sure I got to Sandringham early at 6am, when they start letting people in’ he told MailOnline.

‘I met several people in the crowd as we waited a few hours for the Royal Family to arrive – it’s always a friendly atmosphere.

Prince Louis, with the assistance of his mother Kate, shows the Paddington card to a little girl in the crowd

Princess Charlotte, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Camilla, Queen Consort, Prince Louis, Prince George and King Charles III attend the Christmas Day service at Sandringham Church

‘Because I’m a teacher, I’m not free to attend that many royal events, but I do usually make it to the Sandringham Flower Show in the Summer and I saw the late Queen’s coffin being moved to Westminster Hall for her lying-in-state.

‘Going back further, I was pleased to be able to present flowers to not only Queen Elizabeth, but also Princess Diana.

‘I think the Royal Family are an amazing asset to this country which we should be very proud of. 

‘I’m happy with the term superfan, but I wouldn’t take it to extremes, and believe me some people do!’