Twitter was abuzz last week when Britney Spears revealed that she sent her entire lingerie line to the Duchess of Cambridge. She even said she hopes Kate would model the pieces! After we stopped laughing, we started thinking about all the gifts Kate must receive.
Every few months, a high-profile figure, celebrity, or designer announces that they sent a gift to the Duchess of Cambridge. They hope she will wear the piece, and it will sell out from the Kate Effect. They hope she will accept the gift (like many of us would) and act as free advertising. After all, everything she wears sells out.
Ha. Ha. Have you ever wondered why Kate never wears the pieces gifted to her by celebrities, stylists, and designers? Well, its because she can’t. It is against royal protocol for the Duchess of Cambridge to use free merchandise or gifts given to her. She may accept the gifts at walkabouts or official engagements, but she will likely never use them.
What about gifts from the public? Often times, gifts sent to Kate are returned to the sender. Many of them are donated to local charities supported by the Royal Family. Other times, they are accepted, archived, and kept in storage. Obviously there are rare exceptions, but because of the reasons listed above, Kate simply can’t accept our very generous gifts.
For many occasions, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will request that donations be made to specific charities in lieu of gifts. There were a handful of charities selected for the Royal Wedding, and the family suggested donations be made to the NHS for Prince George’s birth. Many times, a heartfelt card will be more appreciated by you and the royals than a gift. If you’re seeing her in person, (LUCKY YOU!!!) a bouquet of flowers is the perfect gift to bring along.
My name is hedi I have a gift for the duchess and I was wondering if I can send it???
I’ve written a few times to her, and sent her wedding day tips which she acknowledged specifically (instead of a standard thank you). Her office is always very good at acknowledging
They are excellent at responding to letters and mail! It always makes for a good keepsake.
Great post! Very insightful!
~Ashley @ A Cute Angle