Princess Charlotte’s incredible £36k present she was not allowed to keep | Royal | News
Princess Charlotte’s arrival on May 2, 2015 was celebrated around the world and, as with many royal births, gifts poured in from dignitaries, organizations and well-wishers eager to mark the moment. Among these gifts there was one that quickly attracted public attention; An extremely expensive rattle reportedly made from precious materials and intended as a souvenir.
Due to strict royal protocols, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ middle child was not allowed to receive the extravagant gift, said to be worth £36,000.
The gift in question was from the Natural Sapphire Company, which presented an expensive baby rattle made of 18-carat white gold and studded with diamonds, sapphires and rubies to create the Union Jack.
Natural Sapphire Company explained the reasons behind the gift: “Our sales of sapphire rings skyrocketed when Kate and William got engaged with the iconic blue sapphire ring that once belonged to Princess Diana. Women everywhere wanted to be as fashionable as Kate. Today, we continue to grow as a business and are delighted to celebrate the birth of a new royal.”
They added: “We thank Kate and William for introducing our company to the world by gifting their princess a bespoke baby rattle to match. Baby gifts made from precious metals are a tradition dating back to the 18th century. Our luxury rattle, valued at $45,000 (£36,000), is made of 18-carat white gold, lined with sapphires, rubies and diamonds to produce the Union Jack flag.”
It was reported in 2015 that Kate probably didn’t keep the precious gift, as Kensington Palace stated that gifts from businesses are not generally accepted – so it’s unlikely Charlotte tampered with or hid it.
It is stated that Princess Charlotte also received gifts from world leaders to celebrate her first birthday; former Prime Minister David Cameron gave her a copy of Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales.
Toys and clothes were also included in the gift list announced by Kensington Palace.
A spokesman for Kensington Palace said at the time that William and Catherine were “incredibly grateful”.
“The couple took many gifts home, some were kept in the Royal Household and some were donated to organizations that could benefit from them,” the spokesman said. he added.
