A royal treasure trove of gifts
2013-01-17 22:13
London - A piece of Antarctica named after her, a baby
llama, tea from Sri Lanka and her own set of Olympic medals were just some of
the gifts given to Britain's Queen Elizabeth during her 2012 diamond jubilee
year.
Foreign leaders, emissaries, luxury goods businesses and
members of the public gave the British monarch a treasure trove of gifts from
jewels given by the Emir of Kuwait to a wind chime from a nursery school near
her Sandringham Estate, according to a list released by Buckingham Palace.
The list documents more than 140 gifts given to the queen
in honour of her 60 years on the throne from world leaders such as US President
Barack Obama (1950s Tiffany & Co silver compact) to the president of Sri
Lanka (a portrait and a special box of tea).
Unsolicited gifts included 436 books, 235 CDs and DVDs,
81 pieces of embroidery or knitting - including a tea cosy of the queen with
her corgis - 78 portraits of the queen, 40 digital photograph books, 28 wall
hangings or bunting, 19 tea towels and nine jigsaws.
Other gifts included honorary ownership of a baby llama
and adoption of a baby Asian elephant.
Her husband Prince Philip also received a number of gifts
over the period including Swarovski binoculars, a wooden cigar box from the
King of Jordan, a "Highland Gentleman" made from biscuits, beer and a
large gold sword in a leather box
Buckingham Palace release a list every year detailing
gifts received by the queen and the royal family, although a separate list is
released for heir-to-the-throne Charles and his children.
