The Queen famously broke royal etiquette by allowing Meghan to spend Christmas with the family and participate in the custom of receiving unique gifts before the wedding celebration.
Like many families around the world, the British royals have their own unique set of Christmas customs. And they are known to be excellent rules followers, with the tradition that only official members of the family can be invited to the annual Christmas party. However, prior to Meghan's nuptials to Prince Harry, the Queen once broke the law by inviting her to the family Christmas.
Royal tradition of gift-giving
For the occasion, Meghan had a challenging task on her hands on her first Christmas as a member of the family, but she appeared with some unique gifts that are still cherished today. It is a tradition that on Christmas Eve, the Royal Family will lay out their presents on trestle tables and will exchange their gifts at teatime.
For the King and his family, Christmas is a big family occasion that frequently includes a lavish black-tie supper, a private church ceremony, and some humorous novelty gifts. The British royals prefer giving each other humorous gifts over extravagant ones, as has been widely reported over the years.
What did Meghan Markle give Prince William?
According to reports from the Independent, as a prank, the Duchess sent Prince William a spoon with the words 'cereal killer' inscribed on it for his breakfast.
Finding Freedom, the couple's memoir written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, claims that Meghan found it difficult to come up with gifts for her brother-in-law on the occasion of her first Christmas with the family.
She did, however, get the novelty gift concept just right when it came to her gift for the late Queen, giving her a singing toy hamster that the corgis allegedly adored.
‘Meghan's biggest challenge was finding the perfect novelty gifts to amuse her new extended family,’ authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand once shared.
‘At least one of her gifts was a huge hit – a spoon for William that had 'cereal killer' embossed on the shallow bowl end of the utensil.’
Other bizarre gifts from the royals
Meghan spent her first Christmas with the royal family in 2017, when the Queen defied convention and invited her five months ahead of their May 2018 nuptials. But before her appearance, the British Royal Family was already popular for their prank gift-giving activities.
Prince Harry was humorously ridiculed by sister-in-law Kate in 2016 after opening a 'create your own girlfriend' kit before meeting wife-to-be Meghan.
Another bizarre gift Princess Anne gave her brother, Charles, was a leather toilet seat. She also gifted her father, Prince Philip, a pepper mill with a light on the end so he could season his meal when it got dark during barbeques. Besides, Prince William once gave his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, a pair of shoes bearing her face on them.
While the royal family rarely shows off their gifts to one another in public, it is well known that Princess Kate once brought the Queen jars of handmade chutney for her first Christmas in the royal household - a gift that was believed to go over extremely well.
Read more:
⋙ Meghan Markle recalls what first Christmas with the royals was really like
⋙ Meghan and Harry's Christmas absence will be King Charles' biggest challenge
⋙ Prince William and Kate Middleton have 'no plans' to see Harry and Meghan in US trip
⋙ King Charles to throw 'huge' Christmas bash without Harry and Meghan
