The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son Archie was showered with gifts during his first official overseas royal tour – receiving everything from soft toys to a pair of dungarees.
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was just four months old when Meghan and Harry took him to South Africa last autumn and his parents were given armfuls of presents, Buckingham Palace’s 2019 list of official gifts reveals.
The Queen received 72 official presents, including one item that may prove useful for visits to the royal stud – a 24-carat gold-plated horse comb from President Borut Pahor of Slovenia.
When the Sussexes met Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a hero of the anti-apartheid movement, in Cape Town last September, the elderly cleric gave Archie two children’s books he had written – a collection of Bible stories, and Desmond And The Very Mean Word.
During the trip the youngster, who will celebrate his first birthday on May 6, was presented with 14 books in total by well-wishers, four soft toys, and two beaded bracelets.
He was also given a framed picture, hooded sweater, knitted jumper and a present for a possible future career – a pilot’s log book and two pilot’s shirts.
While in South Africa, Harry and Meghan, who now live in Los Angeles after stepping down as working royals, received a range of presents from three pairs of socks to a pair of jeans for Meghan and other clothes for the duchess.
Details of the jeans were not included in the list of official gifts but when Meghan visited Johannesburg she collected a pair of designer jeans she commissioned from one of South Africa’s up-and-coming brands.
Lesedi Masemola, manager of Tshepo’s showroom, said at the time that they had made the duchess a pair of skinny fit jeans, and when Meghan saw a pair of dungarees they had also created for Archie she described them as “very cute”.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were given a tiny pair of brown leather lederhosen for Archie by the Minister-President of Bavaria Markus Soder.
Charles and Camilla received 36 presents for the Sussexes’ baby son, including four soft toy pretzels and two cuddly lions, during their trip to Germany just days after he was born.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gave Charles an optical rangefinder – which is used for measuring distance, usually to a target point – and, for Archie, a blanket, hat and a teddy bear.
The heir to the throne was also presented with two porcelain models of lions by an unnamed individual.
The prince received calligraphy on a board, a fan, a scarf and a box of biscuits from Yagi-Daika, head monk of the Zojoji temple, when he travelled to Japan in October.
In Ireland in May, he was given a green knitted cape, a walking stick and an oak tree sapling, and in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a pair of swimming trunks and a tie, while, in Grenada, Camilla was given a Batik sarong and three bars of chocolate.
The prince made a historic visit to Cuba in March last year, and President Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez gave him four boxes of cigars and a bottle of rum, as well as three books and a painting, while Camilla received a sculpture and a bottle of eau de toilette.
The royal families of the Middle East are known for giving lavish gifts to guests and when the Duke of Cambridge visited Kuwait last December he was given two watches by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of the Amiri Diwan.
Later, when William travelled to Oman, he was given five bottles of perfume by well-wishers, three jars of nuts, and a ceremonial axe by the Governor of Musandam.
In New Zealand, during a visit to meet survivors of the Christchurch mosques terrorist attack, the duke was given presents for his three children – five activity books, soft toys, two travel journals, three medals, two model kits, an airport play set and aeroplane figurine.
William and Kate’s major tour of 2019 was to Pakistan and they were presented with enough traditional outfits and headwear to fill a wardrobe.
The duchess was given nine shawls, and they were both given clothes that are unisex in certain parts of Asia from shalwar kameez – a top and matching trousers – to a number of kurta, a collarless shirt, and Chitrali caps.
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