Princess Charlotte 'hands back' lavish gift worth staggering £36,000
Princess Charlotte, who is third in line to the throne, had to return an incredibly lavish gift she received as a newborn. The now-nine year old princess was presented with a £36,000 item when she was born back in May 2015.
However, due to strict Royal protocols, the middle child of Prince William and Kate Middleton wasn't allowed to keep this extravagant present. The gift in question was from Natural Sapphire Company, which gifted a costly baby rattle made from 18ct white gold and decorated with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies to create a Union Jack.
The company explained on their website why they decided to splurge for Princess Charlotte's birth. They wrote: "When Kate and William were engaged with the iconic blue sapphire ring that once belonged to Princess Diana, our sapphire ring sales rocketed.
"Women everywhere wanted to be just as fashionable as Kate. Today, we continue to grow as a business and it is with great joy that we celebrate the birth of a new royal."
"We're thanking Kate and William for introducing our company to the world, by gifting a custom-designed baby rattle, fit for their Princess. Baby gifts made from precious metals are a tradition dating back to the 18th century. Our luxury rattle, worth $45,000 (£36,000), is made from 18k white gold; lined with sapphires, rubies, and diamonds to produce the Union Jack flag."
"Such a unique gift, unlike any they will receive from well wishes around the world, will surely be treasured.."
Yet, it seems like Princess Charlotte - who appeared with her family at this weekend's Trooping The Colour celebrations - may never have actually played with the opulent rattle.
It was reported back in 2015 that Kate probably didn't keep the precious gift. According to information from Kensington Palace, generally, presents from business firms aren't accepted, Express clarified this policy.
Even if the young royal didn't hang onto the luxe baby toy, she certainly wasn't left toy-less. It's whispered that grandad Prince Charles gifted her an artisan wavy willow shaker worth a humbler £25. A worry-free item for the little one to juggle, and definitely less stressful for the parents.
Charlotte was seen for the first time in months over the weekend as she, her siblings, and parents all attended Trooping The Colour, in Kate's first appearance since sharing her cancer diagnosis. And showing she was ever the helpful royal, Charlotte was on hand to keep little brother Louis in check and wave to adoring supporters.
