The Royal Family is no stranger to receiving extravagant gifts from leaders and dignitaries worldwide. These gifts come in all forms, from personal tokens to official offerings. While some are presented in public ceremonies, others remain out of the public eye.
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For years, the Royal Family—who has a massive collective net worth—has balanced the receipt of such gifts especially when there are allegations of ‘currying favour’ or potential conflicts of interest.
The controversy behind the British Royal Family’s ‘Annual Gift List’
Last month, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was scrutinised after he failed to disclose donations made to him and his wife as MPs are supposed to register gifts, donations and hospitality. Unlike the MPs, members of the Royal Family are not required to disclose these gifts publicly. However, they started publishing an annual list in 2007 after a major controversy, reports The Guardian.
The last official gift list from the Royal Family was published in April 2020, detailing gifts received in 2019. Since then, no list has been released, marking four years of silence. Palace officials have attributed this delay to multiple reasons, primarily the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the transition following Queen Elizabeth II's passing, and the planning surrounding King Charles III’s coronation.
Despite these explanations, the lack of transparency has drawn criticism from campaigners, reports The Independent. Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, led by Graham Smith, criticised the Royal Family’s handling of this issue, stating:
It is vital that the public knows about any possible conflicts of interest or attempts to curry favour with royals, as they have direct access to the highest levels of government.
Emphasising on ‘full disclosure’, Smith added:
The royals have form when it comes to blurring the lines between what’s theirs to keep and what’s an official gift…There’s usually a good reason why billionaires and Saudi businessmen give gifts: because something is expected in return. So we need full disclosure, not just of royal gifts but also royal lobbying.
Buckingham Palace has since reassured the public that the royal gift lists will be published in ‘due course,’ but no official date has been confirmed.
Controversial gifts received by Royal Family over the years
The Royal Family began publishing the list after a scandal in 2007 when Queen Camilla received lavish jewellery from a Saudi royal, which led to public outcry. During a trip to the Middle East, she was presented with an impressive collection of jewellery, including a ruby necklace with matching earrings and a bracelet, reports MailOnline.
One of the most high-profile incidents involved Meghan Markle and a pair of diamond chandelier earrings. These were gifted to her by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a wedding present in 2018. The earrings were initially claimed to be ‘borrowed,’ but their true origin was leaked in 2021.
Similarly, in 2012, a scandal erupted when it was revealed that the King of Bahrain had gifted a suite of jewels to Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, now the Duchess of Edinburgh. This came at a time when the Bahraini government faced significant criticism for human rights abuses, raising questions about the ethical implications of accepting such extravagant gifts.
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Sources used:
The Guardian: King Charles and royals fail to reveal official gifts for past four years – despite promise to do so
The Independent: Campaigners demand ‘full disclosure’ of gifts to King Charles and royals after four-year silence
MailOnline: Duchess of Dazzle: How Camilla's amassed a treasure trove of jewels - thanks to Charles and the Saudis
