The 8 Weirdest Gifts the British Royal Family Has Ever Received
This year marked the first time the royal family celebrated Christmas without Queen Elizabeth II. They keep the monarch's memory alive by continuing many of the holiday traditions that she loved.
Christmas for the British royal family includes not only a dinner at Sandringham Manor and a church service, but also fun gifts to set the mood for all the Windsors.
It's been a long time since the royals were surprised with luxury items, so they came up with an unusual tradition. The monarchs usually exchange gifts not on the day of the holiday, but the day before (it's associated with their German roots). Here are the strangest gifts the palace residents gave each other for Christmas.
Bath mat
Princess Diana, who became part of the royal family in 1981, was unaware of this strange tradition. That's why it took her some time to get used to it. For example, on her first Christmas with the family, William and Harry's mother bought cashmere sweaters and mohair scarves for everyone. But the following year, the Princess of Wales learned the lesson and gave her daughter-in-law, Sarah Ferguson, a leopard print bath mat.
Slippers
Even Prince William was happy to participate and once gave his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, a pair of slippers. What's so unusual about that, you might ask? Nothing much, except for the portrait of the Queen's own face printed on the slippers.
A shower cap
Perhaps the best joke gift ever was given by Prince Harry. Not surprising, since he is known for his sense of humor.
In 2013, the Duke of Sussex gave the Queen of Great Britain a bathing cap with the inscription: "Ain't life a bitch?" However, as noted by royal experts, Elizabeth II appreciated the grandchild's antics.
A spoon
In 2017, Meghan Markle was invited to celebrate Christmas with royals for the first time. The Duchess of Sussex, unlike Princess Diana, came ready and surprised the members of the royal family with her gifts. For example, Meghan gave Prince William a very unexpected gift — a spoon with the words "cereal killer" engraved on it. According to the book Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan, her biggest challenge was finding gifts that members of the royal family would like.
The singing hamster
A year later, Meghan Markle again distinguished herself by presenting Queen Elizabeth II with a singing toy hamster dressed as Santa Claus. The gift delighted the Queen. A source revealed: "It was so funny, especially when the corgis tried to take hold of the toy. She laughed and said 'they can keep my dogs company!'".
Girlfriend
And this is no joke! Even the humorous Harry was not immune to being the butt of jokes. Long before he met Meghan Markle, the Duke of Sussex received a hilarious gift from Kate Middleton, who gave him a "Grow Your Own Girlfriend" kit. Back then, Prince Harry was a real ladies' man, never missing a skirt.
Toilet seat
Another strange royal gift was a white leather toilet seat that Princess Anne gave to her older brother, King Charles III. The British monarch not only appreciated his sister's sense of humor but also enjoyed the gift, which he has since taken with him on all of his long journeys.