The Queen Gave Kate Middleton A Special Gift On Her Wedding Anniversary. Kate Middleton has recently celebrated her eighth wedding anniversary to Prince William. But what did the Queen give her? 8 Years Later. The past few years since their wedding have certainly changed Kate’s life drastically. She has become a celebrity whose face is instantly recognizable around the world. If anyone was going to get a gift for Kate Middleton, who now has access to anything she could possibly want, it would be an intimidating prospect. What does one give to the girl who has everything? Kate, The Royal? It’s obvious that the Queen’s power and material wealth far exceed that of Kate and William. But the Queen knows that there are things that are more valuable than material gifts. Kate has humble beginnings, as she was a “commoner,” before she married William; meaning she had no royal background. This fact actually made her a controversial choice for William to marry. “I do question whether Kate Middleton has the background and upbringing to be queen one day,” royalist James Whitaker had reportedly once said. Her Royal Status. As soon as the couple got married on April 29, 2011, those jeering voices were largely silenced. A commoner had now advanced to a Royal status, showing the world just how much the concept of monarchy had changed. Before their wedding, the Queen granted William the title of Duke of Cambridge, making Kate the Duchess of Cambridge. After all the negative associations that came with the tragic death of Princess Diana, William and Kate revitalized the image of the Royals as more progressive and modern contemporary adults who were committed to doing things differently. Generous In-Lawsr. As the world celebrated the wedding of Britains new power couple, Queen Elizabeth naturally gave them a generous gift as they begin their new life together as a married couple. In addition to the royal titles she bestowed upon them, she also gave them a house known as Anmer Hall, which now serves as their second home. It’s a Georgian country style house that was built back in the 18th century and has formed part of the Sandringham estate since 1898. The Royal Jewels. The Queen also initiated a habit of gifting and lending Kate her jewelry. Perhaps the most noteworthy set of jewelry was the Cartier Halo tiara that Kate wore on her wedding day. Another piece of expensive jewelry that the Queen loaned to Kate was a diamond-covered maple leaf brooch that she wore on her trip to Canada shortly after their wedding. It was purchased by King George VI for his wife, Queen Elizabeth, for their state visit to Canada back in 1939, and has been worn by numerous Royals to Canada-related trips and events. A More Humble Gift. Most gifts given to Royals involve very valuable jewelry and gemstones, as a long-held tradition, being close enough to the Royal family that you can give them something valuable is seen as a privilege. Many people would think of the Queen isn’t as down to earth, but it’s interesting that the Queen doesn’t exclusively accept diamonds and expensive jewelry. In fact, in a 2016 documentary called “Our Queen at Ninety.” Kate confessed that she had once given the Queen something considerably more humble as a Christmas present. Christmas Present. “Of course, I was worried about what I would give the Queen as her Christmas present. I was thinking about it for some time, ‘Oh my goodness, what should I give her? And it made me think back to what would I have given my own grandparents. And it was like a lightbulb lit up, ‘I’ll give her something homemade,’ which could have gone horribly wrong. But I decided to make my grandmother’s recipe of spicy chutney,” Kate recalled. Approach To Gifting. The Queen seemed to appreciate her down-to-earth gift, and Kate was relieved that she even found it refreshing: “I was slightly worried about what she thought of my gift, but I noticed that chutney was on the table the next day… I think such a simple yet personal gesture went such a long way for the Queen… and how she responded by putting it on the table the next day, just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her consideration in looking after everybody.” Their Friendly Relationship. This exchange between the Queen and Kate reflects what appears to be a touching friendship that has developed between them over the years. They are often photographed enjoying each other’s company at various functions. Despite their age difference, the Duchess, who is 37 and the Queen, who is 92, were seen sharing a warm blanket when they visited King’s College London on March 2018. They also made a rare joint appearance when they visited a new facility at King’s College London a few months ago. A Unique Accessory. It appears that their friendly relationship we see is not only informal. At a ceremonial dinner in Buckingham Palace held in October 2018, Kate was seen wearing an intriguing ornamental accessory, but it was more than just decoration: it was the badge of the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II. This particular badge, which can only be put on for special events, is awarded by the Queen to members of her family in honor of exemplary service… A Special Badge. This badge features a small picture of the Queen typically applied onto ivory, adorned with diamonds and suspended from a ribbon, surrounded by a blue ring bearing the motto of the order – Kate received a yellow one. St. Edward’s crown and the royal code appear on the reverse side of the badge. However, this badge is even more special as Prince William is actively campaigning to end the ivory trade, even to the extent that Kate’s badge was made from glass instead of ivory. She Has Proved Herself. The honor of being presented with a Royal Family Order badge, while not announced publicly, is quite a profound one. It must have been especially meaningful to Kate, who has certainly been working hard over the years to prove herself and live up to her position within the Royal family. She has shown the public and her royal in-laws that although she came from modest descent, she has what it takes to be a part of the Royal family. Heads Together. Kate has made incredible efforts to take on Royal responsibilities since becoming Duchess, and she has taken on numerous public engagements such as working as the patron of many charities. She made every attempt to prove herself as a Royal, while subtly making the image of British royalty more down-to-earth. This was evident when she led a campaign called ‘Heads Together’ along with her husband and his brother, Prince Harry, which aspires “to grow on existing progress nationwide in confronting stigma, creating awareness, and providing necessary help for people with mental health problems.” around The World. Kate has done more than prove herself, as she has also excelled at the more conventional aspects of her role in the Royal family, traveling all over the world with Prince William to meet with world leaders and the general public as well, attending all kinds of ceremonies, memorials and state functions. We might think being Royal is easy, but in actual fact, being a representative of the Royal family is difficult and requires a lot of effort, and Queen Elizabeth has taken notice of Kate’s efforts. The Dame Grand Cross. As Kate’s 8th wedding anniversary to Prince William was coming, the Queen, rather than gift Kate jewelry, decided to give Kate a unique honor that she knew would be more valuable than expensive jewels and that Kate would be able to appreciate more than any material object. It came in the form of an official validation that Kate really belongs in the Royal family, by designating her as the Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. At The Queen’s Order. According to the British royals official website, “Awards in the Royal Victorian Order are made in person by the Queen for work to the sovereign.” The Royal Victorian Order was first established by Queen Victoria herself in 1896, as the name indicates. Queen Elizabeth II, is the sovereign ruler of the order. The Dame Grand Cross is the highest position, and not like any other title; this award is bestowed at the Queen’s discretion alone, and without needing the recommendation of Downing Street. GCVO. Kate’s brand new title means the letters GCVO will now appear after her name, and also means she gets to wear a special blue sash for certain royal occasions to signify her rank amongst her Royal family. The Royal Family’s website informs about Kate: “She has been hugely inspired by the guidance and example the Queen has presented for over 60 years and will persist in participating in supporting and advocating the Queen in the UK and around the Commonwealth wherever possible.” She Will Be The Future Queen Consort. As if being named the Dame Grand Cross by Queen Elizabeth wasn’t a sufficient honor on its own, the fact that Kate will be Queen Consort one day includes another distinct layer of importance. It has been said that the Queen has been secretly meeting with Kate to advise and prepare her for her future role. Kate will need all the training she can get while the Queen is still able to pass on her valuable knowledge and experience. How Times Have Changed. In previous generations, the role of Queen Consort was focused on bringing new heirs for the male ruler; but times have since changed as we are living in a more progressive era. The title will signify that Kate has a higher status and ranking within the Royal family. However, since nowadays Kings don’t actually have much political influence, Kate won’t share any military or political authority with William when he is one day made the King of England. Their Secret Meetings. A source has revealed that there have been secret meetings between Kate and the Queen. “Sometimes they’ll casually catch up over afternoon tea, as friends or relatives do. But on certain occasions, they’ll have more formal meetings, with an agenda where more serious matters will be discussed, and the Queen will give serious one-on-one training about being a monarch.” It would seem that giving Kate the title of Dame Grand Cross is a sign that these meetings have been going well. Titles Are Significant. The titles may be more valued by members of the royal family than actual indications of financial position. It was rumored that late Princess Diana was devastated when she heard the news that her title “Her Royal Highness” would be stripped from her after her divorce from Prince Charles. Diana used her platform and role in the Royal family for good. Diana’s butler Paul Burrell claimed that her son, William once promised his mother that he would reinstate her title after becoming king. Little Heirs. The couple now has three young children; their firstborn is Prince George, then it’s Princess Charlotte and little Prince Louis. Their tradition with titles has been passed on to the youngest children of royals, with all of Kate and William’s children as well as the newest edition from Harry and Meghan, ut in having been given the title of “His/Her Royal Highness” from birth. Ultimately, if King George ends up taking the crown one day, Kate will be able to call herself Queen Catherine, the Queen Mother. Place Among The Royal Family. Kate joins her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, Prince Philip, Princess Alexandra and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, who have all been appointed to the Royal Victorian Order as well. For the time being, if there were any remaining doubts of how this “common-born” woman would fare as royalty, this title signifies that any uncertainties can finally be disregarded. Regardless of her humble origins, Kate has proven to Great Britain and its Queen that she is willing to put in the work to earn her place among Royals.
