What do you give the family who has everything?
Well, in the case of the late Queen Elizabeth, at least two platinum and diamond brooches to celebrate her landmark 2022 jubilee.
And for her new heir, King Charles? How about a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II, which starts at a mere £340,000?
Those are some of the more eye-popping items included in the royal ‘gift lists’ released by Buckingham Palace yesterday, albeit amid hundreds of far more mundane items like baseball caps, socks, books and a model of a slurry tanker.
Royal aides have been obliged to keep a log of every item given to senior royals in the course of their duties since the 1990s, following a string of scandals over the disposal- and even selling-on for profit – of often expensive offerings.
Details of the gift lists are normally given out annually but have been delayed in recent years by the pandemic, followed by a series of ‘extraordinary’ events including the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and death in 2022, followed by the King’s accession, coronation and cancer diagnosis.
However they have now been issued for the years 2020-2023 and make for fascinating reading.
Many of the hundreds of entries are from well-wishers and members of the public offering inexpensive but heartfelt gifts on public walkabouts or official visits – ranging from bottles of whisky and gin, to jars of honey and wooly hats.
Buckingham Palace has released the official list of royal gifts and some of the entries are eye-popping while others are more mundane items like baseball caps, socks and books. Pictured: King Charles leaves the National Gallery after a visit on May 5
One of King Charles’s gifts was a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II, which starts at a mere £340,000 (stock image)
Poignantly, they even go back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth who would have no doubt been delighted to receive six dog jackets of varying sizes from the Australia Royal Air Force to mark its centenary in 2021.
More unusually that year she also received a NASA face mask – although it may still have been useful towards the latter stages of the pandemic – and gifts of a Tiffany sterling silver box and a floral brooch from President Biden over tea at Windsor Castle.
The following year – 2022 – was her historic Platinum Jubilee when, understandably, well-wishers great and small were keen to pass on their regards for the 70 years in the throne.
There were personalised pony blankets from the President of Switzerland, as well as diamond and platinum brooches from the Goldsmiths’ Company and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.
Even President Xi Jinping of China felt sufficiently moved to send her an array of gifts including a wine vessel enshrined with Chinese motifs representing royalty and good fortune.
One also has to wonder whether Her Late Majesty ever got round to drinking her ‘Coronation Street gin’, handed to her during a tour of the famous TV street.
It should be noted that very few of these items would be considered her personal property.
Instead they go into the Royal Collection, the unparalleled collection of historic and often priceless arts, antiques and artefacts held in trust by the sovereign on behalf of the nation. They cannot be sold, profited from or disposed of.
For her historic Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II received personalised pony blankets from the President of Switzerland. Pictured: The late Queen with her Fell ponies
Her Late Majesty was even presented with ‘Coronation Street gin’, handed to her during a tour of the famous TV street (pictured)
The Queen also received a Lagos version of Monopoly from the High Commission of Nigeria
One of the most eye-catching entries included in the list is the Rolls Royce Cullinan II car given to him by his good friend and fellow ruler, the King of Bahrain (the two pictured together o November 11, 2024)
The following year marked King Charles’ coronation and again the gifts flooded in – there are more than 260 entries for that year alone.
The most eye-catching undoubtedly is the Rolls Royce Cullinan II car given to him by his good friend and fellow ruler, the King of Bahrain.
It is important, again, to note that this is not considered the King’s personal property and, palace aides confirm, has gone into the ‘Royal Fleet’, housed at the Royal Mews in London. It will be used on official occasions.
Appropriately given the King’s love of horticulture and farming there were several dozen trees, plants and bushes from various well-wishers, which would have been planted on the royal estates.
Indeed, the King and Queen belatedly planted one, a tree from the King of Sweden, in the grounds at Windsor just last month.
He and the Queen also received ‘his and her fragrances’ from J Floris Ltd, plus matching walking boots personalised with their respective royal cyphers from the President of Hungry – an absolutely genius gift, it has to be said.
Buckingham Palace would never be so crass to calculate the value of any particular item and some are classed rather coyly to minimise speculation such as the ‘gentleman’s wristwatch’ received from the President of the Republic of Korea. It’s fair to say it is unlikely to be Ratner’s.
Princess Anne received some corkers including a model of a ‘slurry tanker’ and five mouth-guards, along with lots of rugby balls, tartan, edible goods – and 51 acorns.
Princess Anne received lots of rugby balls (pictured with former Scotland captain Rob Wainwright)
The Princess Royal has received some corkers including a model of a ‘slurry tanker’ (pictured) and five mouth-guards, along with edible goods – and 51 acorns
The then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – William and Catherine – received a snorkel set, wetsuit, pair of diving fins and a swimming cap on their official tour of the Caribbean in 2022 (pictured)
The then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – William and Catherine – received a snorkel set, wetsuit, pair of diving fins and a swimming cap on their official tour of the Caribbean in 2022, along with a model boat which they proudly posed aside in the Bahamas.
They have also received, over the last few years, hundreds of gifts for their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, including cuddly toys, t-shirts, rugby shirts and books.
According to internal guidelines, members of the Royal Family are permitted to accept any gifts they are given in the course of royal duties.
Indeed when it comes to fellow heads of state or official ambassadors, the giving and receiving of gifts is an important part of official protocol.
They are not considered the personal property of the member of the Royal Family who receives them but may be held by the sovereign in right of the crown or designated in due course as part of the Royal Collection, the rules state.
It is understood that there are huge stores of these treasures at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle
According to internal guidelines, members of the Royal Family are permitted to accept any gifts they are given in the course of royal duties but items like flowers are often donated to local hospitals, hospices and care homes.
Royals can eat any food given, while perishable gifts with a value of less than £150 can be given to charity or staff.
Some items such flowers are regularly donated to local hospitals, hospices and care homes.
Sources told the Mail on Thursday that the existing 2003 guidelines are likely to be updated in the near future in a bid to encourage sustainability.
This may include allowing smaller, inexpensive unofficial gifts to be donated to worthy causes, where appropriate.
