Figuring out what to gift your in-laws for the holidays is no easy feat — so imagine how hard it is when those in-laws are British royalty. What do you give the woman who literally has access to the crown jewels? Meghan Markle, however, seems to know just the thing: When she joined her fiancé Prince Harry for their very first Christmas together as an engaged couple this past December, the actress scored major points with the Queen thanks to a hilariously offbeat novelty gift she brought along with her.
According to The Daily Star Online, it’s tradition within the royal family to partake in a silly, tongue-in-cheek gift exchange on Christmas Eve. So, sticking with royal holiday protocol, Meghan decided to present the Queen with — drumroll, please — a singing toy hamster.
Yes, you read that correctly: Meghan Markle gave her future grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, a singing toy hamster.
While a seemingly unorthodox gift, the toy was, according to The Daily Mail, an absolute hit — particularly with the family’s matriarch, who supposedly began laughing as soon as she opened it. The fun didn’t end there, either: The Queen’s corgis tried to take the gift from her lap, so she quipped, “They can keep my dogs company!” Meghan also reportedly gave the Duke of Cambridge a “Tam O Shanter hat, complete with fake ginger hair attached.” (If only our family parties could be this entertaining.)
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 4, for which Prince Harry has recently been serving as guest editor, the fifth in line for the throne gushed over how well the pair’s first Christmas together with his family went. “Oh, it was fantastic,” Harry explained. “[Meghan] really enjoyed it. The family loved having her there.”
