Princess Charlotte forced to 'hand back' luxury gift worth £36,000 after birth

Princess Charlotte was given a very lavish gift when she was born - but due to strict royal protocols, the then-newborn was never allowed to keep it.

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 the Prince and Princess of Wales 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."

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Despite receiving a luxurious rattle, it appears that Princess Charlotte never actually played with it. In 2015, reports suggested that Kate likely didn't keep the precious gift, as Kensington Palace has stated that gifts from businesses are generally not accepted.

However, the young Royal wasn't left without any special keepsakes from her early days. It was reported that her grandfather King Charles gifted her a handcrafted wavy willow shaker worth £25.

This isn't the only special gift the monarch has given to one of his grandchildren. He had an amazing present installed at his Gloucestershire home, Highgrove House, for Prince George's first birthday.

A Victorian-style Shepherd's hut, gifted by Dorset-based company Plankbridge, includes everything from a wood-burning stove to a day bed. The hut can be seen by visitors during a guided tour through The King's gardens and is believed to be a favourite play spot for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

This isn't the only incredible tribute to Prince George that King Charles has made. During an appearance on The One Show, Charles answered questions about how we can all live more sustainably.

The interview, set within Prince George's Wood, revealed The King's personal sentiment for the area, which he has called an 'old man's obsession'. He described why he chose to dedicate the woodland to his grandson: "This was a rather empty field that the farm didn't need anymore. The great thing was that I managed to plant it the same year that my grandson was born, the eldest, George, so I thought I'd call it Prince George's wood."

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