79 thoughts on “Official gifts Kate, George & Charlotte received during 2016 tours”

1. What happened to the days when on royal tours they would give the royals amazing jewelry?

2. Didn’t an ex-royal staffer write about how mountains of gifts were burnt? The royals apparently never use 99% of the gifts they receive.

   1. I think you are referring to the housekeeper at Highgrove who spilled the beans in a book published in the US. They can’t keep everything and their reason for burning the gifts was that they might be sold for their royal connection. I think they might be given to charity before being burned. Food items should of course be tossed, for obvious health and safety reasons.

      1. Flowers are usually given to hospitals.

         1. During W&K’s Down under tour, the flower they received were all donated to hospitals 🙂

      2. I think it is the food that is burned, not the other gifts. The reason is they cannot be sure that the food hasn’t been tampered with. Likewise giving it to the needy wouldn’t work, for the same reason.

         Giving things to charity would be good but complicated. There are obsessive people out there who would try to make a fortune off things, for themselves not for the charity. Remember the person who may have stolen Charles’s toast from the day he and Diana married?

         http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-18911140

3. The gifts are surprisingly modest, though… a candlestick holder? They have electricity at Anmer, right?

   I imagine the gifts are catalogued and sorted into keep/use, keep/store and dispense with? Gifts from the public are kind thoughts; I wonder if anything is kept? If not, are they discreetly given to Kate’s charities who can re-sell or pass to others in need? I’m thinking of the material given, clothes, toys and so on that are not expensive but could be enjoyed by others without disclosing that they were gifts to W+K. It would be a shame to waste (= burn) unwanted things. I’m reminded of the Obama’s gifting their daughters’ swing set, to a homeless shelter I think.

   Do you know what type of official gifts are given by William and Kate to their hosts?

   I’m glad the kids were given identical gifts and non-gender specific, at least from officials. Why Charlotte would be given clothes is anyone’s guess; if they keep the toy plane and car, I hope both kids get to play with them.

   1. What’s wrong with a candlestick holder? I like pretty, decorative candlestick holders. They’re mostly just for decoration.

      I don’t know what gifts William and Kate give to their hosts as that’s not released.

      I noticed that for the most part the kids weren’t given gender-specific gifts. I love that both George and Charlotte got lego, because all kids can enjoy lego, it’s not gender specific.

      1. I keep an old fashioned brass candle holder and candle on my dining room table. My grandmother always kept one because you might need a light in the darkness to help someone find their way home

         1. I love candlestick holders and use them often. With lit candles., Especially for dinners when my husband comes home after the normal dinner time and it’s just the two of us at the table. His sons call them “stupid.,”

            1. I like Candlestick holders. Very practical. but I don’t know where to get them from? Thank you for the list kMR.

            2. I don’t know where you live but places like pottery barn, crate &a barrel and even Neiman Marcus sell them. Or nambe and Waterford if you want silver/crystal ones.
               I love them=)

            3. Thank you Sarah. I should of said I live in England.

      2. I had decorative candlestick holders on my wedding registry. It seemed like a thing to do. I have yet to use them. Maybe I’ll have a dinner party and use my candlestick holders and wedding china (which I also have yet to use).

      3. It’s just an unimaginative choice. That said, I’d choose something contemporary ie museum quality, from a prominent Canadian artist (fine art and craft). I know he’s American, but something along the lines of Dale Chihuly’s glass.

         There was even more stuff: http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2017011935927/kate-middleton-william-george-charlotte-royal-gifts/

         1. I linked to the full gift lists in my post.

            I think it depends on the candlestick holder whether it is imaginative or not.

         2. Chihuly had an exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto recently- it was stunning the glass artwork. And WK were lucky enough to receive something of that sort, they would do well to keep it.

            1. I saw that Exhibit too. It was amazing. I would add that the gift shop was selling a few pieces but they were $3,500 each.

      4. I think there was talk at the time that W&K gave the Queen of Bhutan a special breed (not sure if that’s the right word) of rose for Bhutan’s rose garden? Or something along those lines. I thought it sounded like a nice/thoughtful gift.

         1. Yes, that was a very thoughtful gift.

         2. Oh, so there was an actual rose that went along with the framed pic of a rose?
            I remember thinking it was quite odd at the same but now it makes more sense to me at least.

         3. That would be a beutiful present 🙂

      5. The gifts are lovely. Though I don’t find anything wrong with gender specific gifts. I enjoyed playing with dolls. Asked for them, and was pleased as punch to get them 😉

         1. For me, the difference is you asked for dolls. Nothing wrong with wanting dolls (I loved the American Girl dolls when I was a kid, and still have them). But for me, unless one knows what the kid wants then something more generic is best, like a book. And especially for official gifts for multiple kids, I think getting them the same one is best. In my own life, I don’t even get kids gifts unless the parents have specifically asked for something because I don’t want to add clutter that my friends don’t need or want. My friend got so many gifts for her baby shower and son’s first birthday that she didn’t want and didn’t ask for. I got her son a book of poems that I loved when I was a kid, which is something she asked everyone to do (buy a book).

            1. Ahh, I miss my AG dolls! I got Molly, but really wanted Felicity. Memories… They used to make boy dolls, but don’t anymore; I’d wanted to get one for my son because he has a doll stroller and a doll bed, he loves to play Daddy where he is the dad taking his kid to Disneyland or school or church. It is SO cute (I get so much crap for it, but whatever, he’s learning to be nurturing; this is bad for boys apparently).

            2. I had Felicity and Josefina. They were my favorites.

               That’s unfortunate that they don’t make male dolls anymore. Maybe you can get a female doll and blue baby clothes from the store? I see nothing wrong with your son wanting to play parent.

            3. I was thinking something like that. He usually plays dad with his stuffies now. Or the cats, he’ll stuff one into the stroller and she’ll sit there quite content. It’s hilarious.

               My dad had a cow about it. It’s not masculine. I pointed out he will most likely have kids one day, was it un-masculine for my dad to cuddle with me and so on as a baby? 😛 That shut him up.

               Felicity was my favorite, just because of the time period. Remember how they made those dresses you could wear to match your doll? EVERY Christmas I asked for a Felicity dress. Alas, I was let down every year, haha.

            4. Wow at your cat sitting in the stroller. My cats would never have let me put them in a stroller.

               I never got a my-size Felicity dress either even though I wanted one.

               That’s a really great counter argument to your dad not wanting your son to play parent.

            5. I was in NYC right after thanksgiving and the ag store had a line out the door and around the block just to get in!!! I told my sister and niece I’d catch them later, it’s obviously still very popular.
               I think it’s sweet that your son likes to play daddy =)

            6. My cats are weird. Growing up, our cat would hang out in my doll stroller too. I even painted his claws with nail polish. (I was 6. This was cool. I’m glad he didn’t eat me alive!)

               We have two cats now, and the little one is HELL NO about it, while the big one is fine with lying in the doll stroller or in the doll bed. She loves that bed. My son put a blanket in there, so she’ll snuggle up in it; sometimes he brings it into his bedroom so she sleeps in the doll bed which is kind of like a crib. It’s pretty adorable. She’s a very chill, affectionate cat, obviously!

               I love my cats. lol

   2. I thought Harry and William were joking about how they give signed photos of themselves to people in the interview about Charles for the Prince’s Trust documentary with Ant and Dec. I don’t know if they give anything else on top of that.

      1. I thought PH gave a framed photo of himself to a government official on his recent trip to the Carib. He was laughing about it when handing it over.

4. I’m conflicted. On one hand, I’m envious of the gifts. And on the other, upset that they will be catalogued and put away. Imagine how much money could be raised for their charities if there was an auction. I’m sure there are rules that govern this sort of thing. There are so many people in the areas that W+K visited that could have benefited from these gifts.

   Thanks for the round up, KMR!

   1. I don’t think an auction of gifts the royals received would be a good idea. Imagine if you went to all the trouble of getting a gift for a royal, and actually being able to give it to them, only to then see them turn around and auction it away because they didn’t want to keep it. It would be so rude. I think the royals would get more negative PR than positive PR if they did that.

      1. I didn’t think of that. I’m so conflicted. They obviously want for nothing.

      2. I seem to remember that Charles got a motorboat from Imelda Marcos, and donated it to charity, only to discover that it was the boat shell only, motor not included. I guess he didn’t care about insulting the Marcos’.

      3. No to an auction for the reasons you mention, but generic books, toys and clothes etc could easily be distributed to any number of charities the BRF represents for fund-raising or given to those in need. I guess a gift-giver wants their book or toy used by the royal child but they’d also know the children have plenty of stuff and that there would be a likelihood that it might be recycled. For sheer courtesy reasons, the royals aren’t going to disclose what happens to surplus gifts, any more than we would.

      4. Remember the hallabaloo over the Princes Margaret auction? She had kept some of those official gifts for 50 years and people were still pissed. Gifts are one area I don’t envy the royals. Rarely something you want or can use and you can’t get rid of it. I think gift giving official or not for them should be obolished, does the president of France need a vase?, but everyone does it.

   2. Exactly. The ‘Hello’ article said the children were given 50 toys; these could easily be re-distributed to kids in need or sold in charity shops to raise money. No-one would know they were destined for G+C.

      I’d say anything official, like the Bhutanese jackets, could only be catalogued and stored. But other stuff can be discreetly directed to those in need. To throw away is incredibly wasteful and thoughtless.

   3. She could donate some of the items to the EACH store
      What is it called? Nook. The one she went to the day after skipping the Irish guards ceremony. I think it could be done in a tasteful way. Clothes the kids outgrew etc.

      1. This is exactly what I was thinking.

5. I’m curious about some of the gifts the children received (specifically the hand woven coats from the King of Bhutan). Do they keep the faves and discreetly give the rest to underprivileged children or anonymously donate to hospitals?

   I’m also glad that they (for the most part) received gender neutral gifts.

   I’m also curious about the kinds of books they received (both kids and adults). Are they generic ho-hum books or might they give us insight into the people they are?

   Finally: why burn them when you can have an auction fir charity or regift them to those less fortunate?

   1. Like I said to Rhiannon, I don’t think an auction would be a good idea. I think it would come across as incredibly rude to auction the gifts people gave them because they didn’t want them (but keep the ones they did want). It could very easily become a PR nightmare for them.

   2. If they really burn the gifts, that seems more rude than auctioning them off for charity, or giving the kids’ clothing to needy families. The idea of burning gifts makes me angry.

      1. I am sure they do not burn them, I mean what could you burn? Jewelry? No. Toys? Not really. Books? Yes, but it wouldn’t make sense.

   3. If the gifts are not personalised in any way (names, initials) or signed (from, to) it could easily be given to a charity store. The items can be dropped off by someone who is not recognized as staff from the RF. Books can go to a used book store.

6. Did you guys know that around their wedding time some of the Saudi’s royals wanted to buy Will and Kate a Rainbow Diamond collection which has colored diamonds and 301 pieces of it. It was worth at the time $100M. Imagaine if they got this? Kate would make horrible jewelry out of it.
   http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/royal-wedding-kate-middletons-gem-103116

   1. So did W&K receive the jewels? That would clever by half, K wearing borrowed jewelry from the royal collection and sitting on a huge collection of stones not yet made into jewelry.

      1. I’m fairly sure I remember reading she didn’t. I remember the rumor, but I’m fairly sure it was debunked.

7. I have never really believed the burning story, which was supposed to be Charles sometime after their wedding (or divorce). What wedding presents could burn? Not vases or picture frames or dishes etc I believe he may have had a strange fire with some pictures or momentos of which some have may, by happenstance been presents, but not on purpose. It seems out of charecter to care that much about something so silly.

8. My question is: what gifts do the selfish and greedy WK bring to their generous hosts? It seems all WK do is just take, take, take. If giving a picture of a rose to the Queen of Bhutan; their stale-looking, cheesy snacks at the pre-India tour reception; and putting up a painting with racist connotations when the Obamas visited, are any indication- WK gave nothing or just handed out rudeness and insults like candy.

   Why bother giving anything to these people, who already have so much courtesy of robbing from taxpayers. Its like they are double dipping.

   1. I think W+K gave them the actual rose bush(es) that had been specially propagated; the picture of the rose was for the ceremony. Not sure…

      It’s good that official gifts were kept modest; I wonder if this has become more the norm? The royals want for nothing, and surely it should be a modest token, showcasing something lovely from one country to another. There’d be someone in charge of gift-giving from both ends. I recall the rather limp attempt at entertaining with those little snacks; bizarre. Was that meanness, or had someone forgotten about the reception? Don’t get me started with the painting. Whoever chose it was clueless.

      I recall Charles and Camilla receiving some extraordinarily chic gifts when they last visited Australia: a 2010 ‘Hill of Grace’ Shiraz, worth more than $800 a bottle, and some Seppeltsfield’s port,where they were given some tawny put under oak in the years of their respective births, 1947 and 1948. Very nice.

      1. @Jen, just shocked how royal tours gifts aren’t as great as they were.

   2. These are my thoughts pretty much Red Tulip. I thought that the ‘royals’ weren’t allowed to take personal gifts but as others I’m not familiar with protocol. Which is just a fancy way of saying, we keep what we want, we do what we want, and you can just suck it up. I think that rather than accept anything from anyone, the ‘royals’ of all people in the world should have an agreement with the governments of the countries they visit that any gift or money involved in gifting should be donated to a charity, without their even so much as touching it. No ridiculous ‘royal’ fairy dust attached and someone benefits. I suppose that the flowers being donated to hospitals is maybe ok, but I confess that I prefer donating to a charity as opposed to giving flowers so I’m biased. I have to understand that some people like flowers and they do brighten up a room and the fragrance could be comforting. However, flowers can be swiped just as easily as anything else and with the ‘royal’ hands having touched them? Seems a tad inconsistent. Billy and Cathy are greedy and entitled, they expect gifts and gratitude doesn’t seem to be a word in their vocabulary, nor does giving. I’m the cynical type and who is to say that some of their booty doesn’t make it into the equally greedy hands of the ‘fam’ she comes from and then smoke and mirrors, a bit of confusion created to mask, and **someone** profits under the radar. I’ll go play with my dogs now, head to my fridge to get my junk food, and crawl under the covers to eat and vent my jealousy and envy on line. Now that I’ve said what I think, I recognize that ‘protocol’ reigns, pr is vital and it’s the way it is.

   3. +1 million

   4. Kind of off topic, but you mentioned a racist painting. I found a whole book of racist statements Prince Philip has made throughout his life. It’s called “Duke of Hazard: The Wit of Prince Philip.”

      1. Prince Philip is a well known racist. Its only because he is now so old, that he gets a pass and is lionized into a great man.

9. Here in Bulgaria, we are changing presidents right now. As a matter of fact, the new president just took the oath today. One of the last things the previous president did, was to inaugurate what he called “The Presidential Library”. His words were: “The presidential library will not only collect books, it will exhibit all the official gifts received by the Head of the state throughout his mandate”.
   Given the amount of gifts royals receive (because unlike presidents, royals are for life… at least technically), I would guess they can fill up a couple of museums. But wouldn’t it be a good idea to set up some kind of an exhibition of the royal gifts and the proceedings from it can be distributed to charities that are “close to their hearts”? I am not familiar with royal protocols and I agree it would be rude to auction them off but this way they can raise some funds without being impolite to the individuals who gave them the gifts.

   1. That actually is a very smart way to handle the gifts and a good way to raise money for charities

      1. I thought the RF already does this to some degree. I know I’ve seen photos of state guests viewing objects owned by the crown (?) that were given to them by the visitor’s predecessors. Things such as art, literature, ceremonial weapons, textiles were displayed.

10. I want to see the Bhutanese rug! They seem to use such bright and beautiful colors in their every day colors, I can only imagine it was beautiful!
    I do wonder about these people giving gifts to them. Seems such a waste.
    I did love the rocking horse the Obamas gave George for his gift tho. I had one so am partial =)

    1. Oh, yes. I love that rocking horse, too! Such a great gift for a tyke!
       At least, The Obamas did get to see George take it out for a spin!

       1. +1

       2. I think one can joke about someone’s taste without it being considered offensive.
          I have a coworker who is in her 40s and she buys tons of Disney stuff. I think it’s weird but we laugh about our different tastes.
          We wouldn’t all want to have the same likes/dislikes

    2. I also liked the rocking horse. It was a really nice gift from the Obamas.

11. I find it interesting they get so many gifts and yet other royals don’t seem to judging by the gift lists from other tours. I get the official gifts, but why for children? Why do the public give them things? What is the purpose?

    1. Diplomacy. Gift giving is ritual as old as civilization. It fosters peace and goodwill.

       1. Yes, I get the gifts for the royals themselves, but spoiling children who are already spoiled with all sorts of stuff just is ridiculous.

          At least the gifts for W&K aren’t as extravagant as how they were showered in Canada in 2011 with some really expensive stuff!

          1. Well remember in 2011 it was after the Royal Wedding and they were so popular so of course the gifts would be expensive. Just do not get why Kate didn’t receive any jewels from the Middle East like Diana did.

             1. Diana was a beautiful woman and the times were different, people were more extravagant in the 80’s- hence Diana got all these beautiful jewelery. Also, it could be a bit more political as well- there may have been generally more positive feelings towards the West within the Middle East, than there is today- maybe that plays into the decision of not giving Kate any expensive jewellery. And why does Kate deserve any expensive jewels anyway? She is not entitled to it.

             2. Both Sophie and Camilla have accepted gifts of jewels in the last five years. Sophie got in more trouble for it than Camilla. Maybe KM just wasn’t given any?

                http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8999872/How-a-routine-royal-visit-spelt-trouble-for-the-Countess-of-Wessex.html

                http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2962503/Duchess-Dazzle-Camilla-s-amassed-treasure-trove-jewels-thanks-Charles-Saudis.html

             3. I thought her mouwad set was Rumored to be a gift (wedding) I can’t see William buying it. I always assumed it came from one of the middle eastern royals. I think they’re close to the king of Bahrain so I always just assumed it as him. Of course, that’s pure speculation on my part could have Charles for all I know or Kate’s parents

             4. Given what the others received? That would be a very small gift for her. Small stones, not a unique gift but purchased off-the-shelf, etc.

       2. I suppose you are right Red Snapper, but this is peace and goodwill between the giver and the giftee, not the people who actually pay for the gift. I’m aware that it’s considered very rude to decline a gift, almost an insult but that’s such a very old ancient way of doing things, it appears that waity and wimpo, the rest of the ‘giftees’ want modernization of their respective positions but only when it doesn’t take away the fun things, the luxuries, travel, and all the rest of the trappings. However, when it comes to excuses and reasons for ditching the traditions that require work and effort the modernization is destructive. Cherry picking imo. I see no insult of offense to be taken if these gifts were accepted and then donated to people who really need them. Seems that then the ‘royal fairy dust’ might fall on the people who pay their way. The ‘royals’ can’t possibly be oblivious to the poverty and suffering of their people, and if they want to be relatable wouldn’t that be a step in the right direction, to at least acknowledge that others are in far greater need than they. When you read stories of floods and other disasters you find heroes, people who decline immediate help and point out others in worse shape. Funerals where in lieu of flowers please make a donation, these are the things that make me think there’s hope for a world falling apart. I know, protocol. 🙂 Tradition. We’ve always done it that way, until we find something we don’t like and then comes the word modernization. I’m not idealistic enough to think that things will change, at least not in the foreseeable future, but I am realistic enough to believe that when people are hungry and cold, sick and treated as lesser beings, and this is a very hard time for a whole lot of people, eventually the ‘fairy dust’ may become hardened into pebbles and poke holes into the castles and palaces. At some point peace and goodwill may become deep resentment. These are just my thoughts, not a disagreement with you at all.

          1. If I were to take my time and money to buy a royal a gift, I would be pissed to see them re-gift it. They have enough money to buy their own stuff if they want to donate something.

             1. Ah yes, KMR you make a very valid point. I was too focused on the gifts from others to think that for sure they have enough money of their own to make substantial donations, not to mention that while I was certain that refusing a gift would be an insult and considered rude, I failed to consider that the same would apply to ‘re-gifting’ it, in fact that might very well be **more** of an insult. I’d make a lousy diplomat.

12. Is it not the case that protocol dictates that gifts may not be kept, in particular expensive ones (anything over a very low monetary threshold)? That the only way to be allowed to keep an item is to pay the current value of the item to the state (the UK, not the country of the giver)?

13. I don’t know why people still give the royals gift in this day and age.

    Apart from their own ego, “I got to give {item} to the Duchess of Cambridge” for example.

    If they think their gift will actually be used, they are deluded.

    I would not waste my money. A handshake and a hello from a royal wouldn’t cost anything and would more than enough make my day, if I wanted interaction from one.

    1. I agree, but I wouldn’t ***want*** to shake the hand that spends time playing with hair and generally resting on the nether regions, nor would I want to shake the hand of a jerk who mocked the tube strike, and treats the people who sustain him like crap. That’s just me. I’m not filthy rich, famous, well known but if I shake someone’s hand it’s because I want to, I know it’s pretty standard but to me it means something. If I weren’t such a hermit and didn’t think so very lowly of myself, the hands I would like to shake are those of doctors, firemen, police officers, those who serve, those who give, those whose lives are about other people. People who, even when in the throes of the deepest sort of pain there is, think of others and donate organs from their own dying children. Done now. Went way off topic.

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