How Kate Middleton Surprised the Queen with an Unexpected Gift on Her First Royal Christmas

Holidays spent with in-laws can be stressful, but the stakes get higher when your in-laws are members of the most well-known royal family in the world. Similarly, when Kate Middleton faced her first Christmas with the royal family in 2011, she was nervous. Despite this, Middleton nailed it—especially with her choice of gift for Prince William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. In a 2016 interview for ITV's Our Queen at Ninety, Middleton shared what her first Christmas with the royal family was truly like, offering a peek behind the palace doors.

During the interview, Middleton said, "I can remember being at Sandringham, for the first time, at Christmas. And I was worried about what to give the Queen as her Christmas present." As reported by the Mirror, she added, "I was thinking, 'Gosh, what should I give her?' I thought back to what would I give my own grandparents. And I thought: 'I'll make her something.' Which could have gone horribly wrong." She revealed that her gift to the Queen was majorly influenced by her grandparents. Middleton decided to make chutney for the Queen after being inspired by her grandmother's recipe. However, she was still anxious about the Queen's reaction.

The late Queen was delighted with the present, which marked a major step in Middleton's relationship with the former queen. The Queen's kind reaction proved how thoughtful she was. Middleton said, "I was slightly worried about it but I noticed the next day that it was on the table and I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me, and I've noticed since that she's done that on lots of occasions, and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness really and her care in looking after everybody."

Later in the video, Middleton also described a sweet ritual the late Queen maintained whenever her great-grandchildren came to see her. As reported by OK! Magazine, she would always leave a tiny present or surprise in their rooms, which was a sweet way to convey her love for her family. During a very special interview for the Queen's birthday, Middleton continued to praise her mother-in-law. She said that the Queen was very generous and that she never forced her opinions on her. According to E! News, she also thought the Queen gave her gentle guidance throughout their relationship.

In the Channel 5 documentary Kate and the Queen: A Special Relationship, royal experts weighed in on the strong connection between the late Queen and Middleton. Expert Ingrid Seward suggested that it was their shared sense of duty that brought them together. When Middleton joined the Royal Family after her marriage to William, she faced a steep learning curve. Fortunately, she was granted ample time to get used to her new role and received guidance from one of the most experienced mentors imaginable—the late Queen herself, as reported by the Mirror.