Princess Charlotte 'hands back' lavish gift worth staggering £36,000

Princess Charlotte has returned an incredibly extravagant present she received as a newborn.

The princess, nine, who is third in line to the throne, was gifted a £36,000 item when she was born to her parents Prince William and Princess Kate back in May 2015. However, due to strict Royal protocols, she couldn't keep this costly gift. The Natural Sapphire Company presented the pricey baby rattle, crafted from 18ct white gold and adorned with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies to form a Union Jack.

The company explained on their website why they decided to go all out 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.

Princess Charlotte

"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.

"Such a unique gift, unlike any they will receive from well wishes around the world, will surely be treasured." Despite the grand gesture for their little princess, it appears Princess Charlotte may have never clutched the extravagant rattle in her Royal fingers.

Reports in 2015 suggested it was seriously unlikely Princess Kate would keep the gift. Kensington Palace could not confirm whether the lavish baby toy was received by William and Kate as a general rule, it said, gifts from commercial companies were not accepted, the Express explained.

Even if the young royal, who just celebrated her ninth birthday complete with an adorable new snapshot, didn't keep the baby shaker, she wasn't left empty-handed. Rumour has it that King Charles presented her with a handcrafted willow rattle, coming in at a more down-to-earth £25 a far less hair-raising item for the tot to tote around, and certainly less of a headache for mum and dad.