Prince William has shared a memorable gift-giving mishap from the early days of his relationship with Kate Middleton, now the Princess of Wales, that has become a lasting joke between them.
“I did get my wife a pair of binoculars once. She’s never let me forget that,” the Prince of Wales admitted. “That was early on in the courtship that was — I think that sealed the deal. It didn’t go well. Honestly, I have no idea why I bought her a pair of binoculars, and it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
William and Middleton, both 42, met in 2001 as students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Their relationship led to their wedding at Westminster Abbey in London in April 2011.
Following German tradition, the royal family gathers on Christmas Eve to open presents, a practice that has continued since the family changed their surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.
The royal family is known for exchanging unconventional gifts. Princess Margaret once gave Prince Harry a fish-shaped ballpoint pen, while Princess Anne gifted then-Prince Charles a white leather toilet seat. Kate Middleton participated in this tradition by giving Prince Harry a “grow-your-own-girlfriend” kit before marrying Meghan Markle. Princess Diana gave Sarah Ferguson a leopard print bath mat.
Prince Harry also embraced these playful exchanges, once giving Queen Elizabeth II a shower cap bearing the phrase “Ain’t life a b—h.” Princess Diana was known for including deliberately amusing presents in William and Harry’s Christmas stockings.
For the 2024 Christmas celebration at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England, Prince William hosted 45 guests. The gathering included his and Middleton’s children: Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, were reportedly not included in the festivities.
Recent months have brought new challenges for the couple following Kate’s cancer diagnosis in March 2024. William has increased his family responsibilities while Kate focuses on recovery. During this time, they received thoughtful gifts from well-wishers, including Lego sunflowers and sunflower seeds from St. Michael’s Church of England High School, which William noted would “go down well in the house.”
The tradition of exchanging gag gifts continues under King Charles III’s reign. When Meghan Markle first joined the family Christmas celebrations at Sandringham in 2017, she participated by giving Queen Elizabeth II a singing toy hamster. The Royals prefer these lighthearted exchanges over expensive presents, given that they already possess significant wealth and the Crown Jewels.
