Princess Charlotte forced to hand back lavish gift worth an eye-watering £36k

Despite the expectation of royals receiving extravagant gifts, Princess Charlotte was forced to return an incredibly lavish present she received as a newborn.

The nine-year-old princess, who is third in line to the throne, was gifted a plush £36,000 item when she was welcomed into the world by her parents Prince William and Kate Middleton back in May 2015 but due to strict royal protocols, she couldn't fully enjoy this costly gift.

The Natural Sapphire Company gifted the pricey item, which is likely one of the most luxurious baby rattles ever made.

As reported by The Express, the rattle was crafted from 18ct white gold and adorned with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies to form a Union Jack.

The company explained on their website why they decided to go all out for Princess Charlotte's birth, OK! reports.

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.

"Such a unique gift, unlike any they will receive from well wishes around the world, will surely be treasured."

Despite the generous offering for their baby girl, reports from 2015 suggest that Princess Charlotte likely never got to keep the opulent rattle.

The Express reported: "Kensington Palace could not confirm whether the lavish baby toy was received by William and Kate as a general rule, it said, gifts from commercial companies were not accepted."

Nonetheless, even if Charlotte, who recently turned nine and was featured in an adorable new photo, didn't retain the gem-studded rattle, she wasn't left without a plaything.

It's understood that King Charles gifted her a willow rattle, priced at a more modest £25 certainly less daunting for the young royal to handle, and much less worrisome for her parents.

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