Why Princess Charlotte Had to Return Luxury Gift She Was Given At Birth

Princess Charlotte, the middle child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was once given an expensive gift when she was a newborn worth a whopping £36,000 (around $45K). However, the third in line to the throne had to return the luxurious diamond-studded present to follow the strict royal protocol, according to which she wasn't allowed to keep it despite being gifted. 

The Natural Sapphire Company gifted an extravagant rattle to Charlotte at the time of her birth on May 2, 2015. The 18-carat white gold toy was embellished with priceless stones like diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. The company explained on their website why they decided to splurge for the second child of William and Kate, as per The Mirror.

"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," the company wrote on its website. "We're thanking Kate and William for introducing our company to the world, by gifting a custom-designed baby rattle, fit for their Princess," adding that the tradition of gifting royal babies gifts made of precious metals dates "back to the 18th century." 

However, Charlotte had to part ways with the present since Middleton returned the rattle back to the company as per Kensington Palace's protocol, which states that gifts from businesses are generally not accepted. Nonetheless, in recent times, the young princess has had a memorable past year since she met Taylor Swift backstage alongside her father William, and her brother Prince George. A source told Entertainment Tonight Charlotte is a Swiftie and "has wanted to go to the concert for months, but with her mum being treated for cancer, this was a really special day to be able to celebrate her Papa's birthday like this."

In July, she attended the men's tennis final at Wimbledon alongside her mom. Charlotte, now a pre-teen, has transformed into a fine young woman who gave a 'grown-up tween vibe' at the tennis match, Bethan Holt, the Style Director at The Telegraph told PEOPLE.

Meanwhile, a source told OK! Magazine, "It's clear Charlotte feels so proud to be Kate's daughter," noting that she enjoys her mother's company and simply adores her and "loves doing special things with her mom, like attending Wimbledon. She really seems to understand how lucky she is to have these incredible experiences." 

The royal sources gushed over the 'poised' little girl who has 'grown up so much over the past year.' The insider also recognized it isn't being a royal child since she has more responsibility on her shoulders as opposed to non-royals of her age. However, according to the source, she is handling it like a pro. "She shows a maturity beyond her years. It's become more obvious that she understands her role and what it means to be in this family, but she's also still able to be a kid."