Rolls-Royce to gin: Royal Family got lavish gifts, but none truly theirs | What do rules say
Buckingham Palace has released a list of the official gifts received by members of the United Kingdom’s royal family from 2020 to 2023, including a Rolls-Royce, a feather crown and beaded chest pieces given to King Charles III during the first year of his reign.
Britain’s King Charles III, with Queen Camilla, delivers a speech from the Throne to open the first session of the 45th Parliament of Canada at the Senate of Canada in Ottawa on May 27, 2025. Britain’s King Charles III is heading to Canada for a brief but “impactful” visit, at a time when President Donald Trump is floating the idea of making his northern neighbour the 51st US state. The 76-year-old monarch, who is also Canada’s head of state as part of the Commonwealth, has never publicly commented on the ambitions of the US president, a noted admirer of the royal family. (Photo by Victoria Jones / AFP)(AFP)
The list features the official gifts presented to Queen Elizabeth II, the current King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
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Rolls-Royce, toiletries among gifts
The gifts range from a set of toiletries, to bottles of alcohol and heritage items, which come from heads of states and various organisations across the world.
In May 2023, King Charles received a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II motor car from the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, after his coronation, reported PA Media.
The monarch also received a feather crown, two beaded chest pieces and two carved staffs from Amazonian Indigenous leaders Uyunkar Domingo Peas Nampichkai and Atossa Soltani.
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The King also received two gold Blue Peter badges, one each for himself and Camilla, from Blue Peter presenters during a “Pre-Eurovision” visit to Liverpool.
Former US President Joe Biden and then-first lady Dr Jill Biden, gave King Charles a leather folder containing printed letters between Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower, and a photo of his visit to the UK. They had previously presented Queen Elizabeth with Coronation Street gin and a book called ‘60 Years of Coronation Street.’
Rules on royal gifts tightened
The rules on official presents were tightened following the Peat Inquiry in 2003 into the sale of royal gifts and the running of St James’s Palace.
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Charles’ then-most trusted aide, his former valet Michael Fawcett, faced allegations of selling unwanted royal gifts and pocketing a percentage of the proceeds, but was cleared by an internal inquiry of any financial misconduct, reported PA Media.
The Peat Inquiry, headed by Charles’s then-private secretary Sir Michael Peat, found Mr Fawcett did “infringe internal rules relating to gifts from suppliers.”
As per the rules, gifts cannot be sold or exchanged and eventually become part of the Royal Collection, which is held in trust for successors and the nation.
Official gifts can be worn and used, but are not considered the royals’ personal property. The royals do not pay tax on them. They can eat any food they are given and perishable official gifts with a value less than £150 can be given to charity or staff.
