Princess Charlotte 'returns £36,000 gift' due to Royal rules

Princess Charlotte, who is third in line to the throne, was forced to return an incredibly lavish gift she received as a newborn. The now-nine year old princess was gifted with a £36,000 item when she was born back in May 2015.

However, due to strict Royal protocols, the middle child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 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.", reports Edinburgh Live.

However, it appears that Princess Charlotte never actually played with the rattle. Back in 2015, it was reported that Kate likely didn't retain the valuable gift. Kensington Palace has stated that gifts from businesses are generally not accepted.

Even if the young Royal didn't keep the luxurious baby toy, she certainly 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. It was previously revealed that 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 was filmed in Prince George's Wood, affectionately referred to by The King as an 'old man's obsession', was the setting for the interview. He revealed the heartwarming reason behind naming the woodland after 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."