Australian girl reunited with toy monkey after losing it at Buckingham Palace

This isn't the first time Savannah Hart's pal Harriet has wandered away.

September 20, 2019, 4:40 PM

A 5-year-old was reunited with her stuffed toy after it went missing during a visit to Buckingham Palace.

Savannah Hart took her stuffed monkey Harriet on her family trip around Europe. But when they returned to their home in Australia, a member of the family was missing.

“She was taken out of daddy’s bag to get some photos,” Katie Hart, Savannah's mother, told The Associated Press. “The next day, we were on a tour bus and I just had the thought and said, ’Where is Harriet?’”

Savannah was heartbroken when Harriet was nowhere to be found. But her kindergarten classmates had a plan to get Savannah’s friend back: the class would write a letter to Queen Elizabeth II to ask if the monarch had seen the monkey.

PHOTO: Harriet stuffed monkey Buckingham Palace
Savannah Hart's stuffed monkey, Harriet, was photographed around Buckingham Palace.
Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019

Her teacher, Robyn Herringer, sealed the letter with a stamp.

“We put in lots of photos of Harriet’s adventures around the world, and all the children signed it and put it in an envelope and posted it off,” Herringer told the AP.

To their shock, Buckingham Palace responded with an extra surprise. A box arrived at the class and inside was Harriet and a new friend to play with -- Rex the corgi, the queen's favorite breed.

PHOTO: Harriet stuffed monkey Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace staff got in on the fun, posing for a photo with Savannah Hart's stuffed monkey, Harriet.
Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019

“We hope Harriet enjoyed telling Rex the corgi about her adventures on the journey back to Australia,” a Royal Collection Trust spokesperson said.

For now, Harriet is safely secure in her backpack.