UK royals given unusual gifts on tours

LONDON (AFP) – Princes William and Harry were given gifts of alcohol and weapons while on overseas tours last year, while William’s wife Catherine received ten handbags and six pairs of shoes, St James’ Palace said Friday.

Britain’s Prince William with wife Catherine Duchess of Cambridge in central London. EPA

Many people go on holiday intending to do some shopping, but details released by the palace revealed the often weird and wonderful things collected by the British royals abroad, including chilli sauce and a water filtration unit.

On an official tour to Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands an d Tuvalu with William in September, the Duchess of Cambridge, who is expecting her first child in July, was given an array of clothes, accessories and jewellery.

The shoes and two of the bags were gifts from the queen of Malaysia, Raja Permaisuri Agong, along with two dresses, while the wife of the Malaysian prime minister gave the Duchess a twin set of South Sea pearls.

The president of Singapore gave the 31-year-old a shawl, and Catherine also received a silk scarf, sarongs, a sari, earrings and a pendant necklace.

Prince William meanwhile received a traditional Malaysian dagger from the nation’s king, Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as well as some clothes and books.

Between them the royal couple counted a tea service, a sheet of music, a model war canoe, eight woven mats and some chilli sauce among their joint gifts, as well as two dressing gown robes from Raffles Hotel in Singapore.