What do you buy for the monarch who has it all? Here are the best presents she’s ever received.
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KEYS TO A FORTRESS
For the woman who has everything! The Queen symbolically accepts the traditional gift of four silver keys of the fortress of Gibraltar from Gov.-Gen. Sir Gordon MacMillan during her visit in 1954 – a politically charged time due to territorial conflict between Britain and Spain.
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A PICNIC SET
What do you get your older sister, who also happens to be the future queen, as a wedding present? Princess Margaret took a practical approach for the 1947 occasion, offering Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten this lavish picnic set.
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HER VERY OWN HOCKEY PUCK
During her Golden Jubilee visit to B.C. in 2002, the Queen performed the ceremonial puck drop, accompanied by Canadian NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, at the start of the game between the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks – players banged their sticks on the ice as a traditional hockey salute to the monarch. Her Majesty was then presented with the puck as a souvenir.
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SHINY NEW WHEELS
For the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, Bentley Motors chairman and chief executive Franz-Josef Paefgen presented a new Bentley state limousine to Her Majesty at Windsor Castle. The royal ride, gifted on behalf of a consortium of British automotive manufacturing and service companies, was specially crafted for the Queen’s use on state occasions. Fun fact: the Queen is the only person allowed to drive a vehicle on British roads without a driver’s licence or a licence plate!
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A BRONZE STATUE
On behalf of the citizens of Rome, the Queen was presented with a bronze statue of the legendary Romulus and Remus in 1980. The twin brothers, who are depicted being nursed by a she-wolf, are said to be the founders of the ancient city in Roman mythology.
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PORCELAIN DINNERWARE
The Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a four-day visit to Hungary in 1993. Since it was the first time in 1,000 years that a British monarch had visited the nation, officials pulled out all the stops, hosting the royals at favoured Budapest restaurant Grundel and escorting them on a trip to the Great Hungarian Plain. Her Majesty received this porcelain dinner set as a gesture of gratitude for her visit.
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A SOLID GOLD STATUE
The Queen’s first state visit to the United Arab Emirates in 1979 was covered extensively in the media – the Gulf was in the midst of the Islamic Revolution. Still, the gracious British monarch charmed her hosts, including the Sheikh Rashid, the ruler of Dubai, who presented her with a solid gold sculpture of a camel and its calf, as well as diamond and sapphire jewelry.
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A DOLL IN UNIFORM
Among the many playful presents the Queen has received is this doll, presented to her during a state visit to India in 1961. Sporting a turban and jaunty uniform, it was a present from the local Girl Guides. Over the years, the Queen’s collection of dolls has continued to grow. In 2006, 33 of them from around the world were part of an exhibit at Frogmore House near Windsor Castle.
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A FEW AQUAMARINES
For her coronation in 1953, Queen Elizabeth II received this diamond necklace featuring aquamarines and matching earrings from the president and the people of Brazil. The Queen later commissioned a tiara to match the dazzling set.
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A STUFFED ANIMAL
This summer, a collection of gifts the Queen has received from more than 100 countries will be on display at Buckingham Palace. Here at Hello! – in sync with the Queen’s April 21 birthday – we’re looking back at some of the unique pieces and special tokens that have put a smile on her face – like the cuddly creature below! During a 1962 visit to the town of Slough in Berkshire, the Queen was presented with this toy polar bear.
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FROM ROME WITH LOVE
Her Majesty and Prince Philip met with Italian president Sandro Pertini at the Quirinal Palace in Rome during a state visit in October 1980. Always the gracious guest, the monarch exchanged gifts with the Italian politician during the event.
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AN ENTIRE HOUSE
When the Queen’s parents, then the Duke and Duchess of York, took over the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park in 1932, Princess Elizabeth did not walk away empty-handed! At the tender age of six, the young princess (pictured, in 1933) received a special gift from the nation of Wales – her very own cottage, which she would go on to share with her younger sister, Princess Margaret. The charming dollhouse-like building was named Y Bwthyn Bach (“the little cottage” in Welsh).
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A COPY OF THE FINEST MAGAZINE
A young fan holds a copy of Hello! Canada’s special royal commemorative edition as she waits outside St. James Cathedral for the Queen to exit Sunday service during Her Majesty’s visit to Toronto in 2010. The Queen was wrapping up the final stop of a nine-day tour of Canada with Prince Philip, including Canada Day festivities on Parliament Hill.
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A SHOW AND TELL
On a visit to Abu Dhabi in 2010, the Queen exchanged jewelled gifts with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, at the Mushrif Palace. The Queen was on a state visit to the Middle East with Prince Philip.
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A FLOCK OF HAND-MADE BIRDS
Wearing a sunny yellow dress with white polka dots and a matching turban, the Queen proved herself a royal fashion icon during a state visit to Mexico in 1975. During her trip, the monarch met with local schoolchildren and was presented with a tray of handmade crafts. Her Majesty was the first British monarch to ever visit Mexico. She and Prince Philip returned for a second visit to the country in 1983.
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A GRASSHOPPER WINE COOLER
Leave it to the French to present the Queen with a gift both practical and chic! In 1972, President Georges Pompidou and his wife, Claude, gave the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh a six-foot grasshopper-shaped wine cooler on their state visit to France. It was created by sculptor François-Xavier Lalanne from Sèvres biscuit porcelain, nickel-plated steel and polished brass.
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A TRUSTY STEED
The Queen has always been known for her love of horses and horseback riding. That’s why the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) gave her the service horse Burmese in 1969. She went on to ride Burmese at Trooping the Colour for 18 years, and hasn’t ridden a horse during her official birthday celebrations since his passing in 1990. As a thank you for the multiple service horses she’s received from the RCMP over the years, she presented the organization with a rocking horse, also dubbed Burmese.
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A PAINTING OF PRINCESS ELIZABETH
One of the most personal gifts the Queen has received on tour is a portrait of the young monarch with her father, King George VI, when she was a girl. German president Joachim Gauck presented the memorable painting at Berlin’s Bellevue Palace during her state visit to the German capital in 2015.
The Queen was unsure of the likeness. “Is that supposed to be my father?” she inquired quizzically, adding: “That’s a funny colour for a horse.”
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A BOX OF JEWELS
On a visit to the Gulf States in 1979, the Queen was given jewels from the Emir of Bahrain. The lavish gift was added to Her Majesty’s royal collection – in 1947, the ruler of Bahrain gave her a wedding present: a pearl shell containing seven large pearls.
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A REAL ANIMAL
It was the gift that sparked one of the Queen’s lifelong passions. In 1944, Princess Elizabeth received her first pet corgi, Susan, for her 18th birthday. The future monarch was so smitten with her pet (pictured here with Elizabeth at Windsor Castle) that she even joined her on her honeymoon two years later. In 1949, Susan had puppies. The Queen has overseen the corgis at the palace ever since.
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A MAORI CLOAK
The newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II is presented with a korowai (woven cloak) by the bishop of Aotearoa in Rotorua during her first visit to New Zealand in 1954. While the country doesn’t have a specific national dress, the traditional Maori cloak is considered a symbol of the nation and is often worn by dignitaries.
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A TEDDY BEAR
At five months old, the future Queen of England was already being treated to thoughtful gifts from monarchists. In October 1926, the Queen Mother was out in London and given a teddy bear to bring home to her young daughter. It was made by J.K. Farnell & Co., makers of Britain’s first teddy bear in 1906.
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A PINK CARDIGAN
No journey is too big – or small! – for the globe-trotting monarch. During a visit to Yeo Valley dairy in Weston-super-Mare, England, with Prince Philip in 2007, she was presented with an employee cardigan after the dairy won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for sustainable development.
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A PRINCESS DRESS
This portrait of a cherubic three-year-old Princess Elizabeth of York – in a tiered dress with a frilly collar and Mary Jane shoes with white socks – reveals a striking resemblance to her great-granddaughter, Princess Charlotte.
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A BEADED THRONE
For those times when one throne just isn’t enough ... A colourful beaded Yoruba throne was presented to the Queen on behalf of the people of Nigeria in 1956. The large quantity of beads is a symbol of wealth and status and therefore closely associated with royalty. It is among the unique gifts on display at the upcoming exhibition at Buckingham Palace.
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A HAND-CRAFTED CHESS SET
In 2010, South African president Jacob Zuma presented the Queen with a specially crafted chess set, unaware that in 1996 she had received a very similar set (pictured) from Nelson Mandela.
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