Princess Kate's Funny Gift to Prince Harry Before His Marriage to Meghan Markle

It's that time of the year again when the royal family indulges in their delightful tradition of exchanging funny Christmas gifts. As we eagerly count down to the most wonderful time of the year, the halls are being decked, thoughts turn to the feast on the big day, and the Christmas shopping list starts to take shape. The British royal family has its own set of festive traditions, from the opening of presents on Christmas Eve to a peculiar ban on the game of Monopoly. Every year, amidst stories of leather toilet seats, singing hamsters, and bathing caps, there's one gift that the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, gave to Prince Harry that's sure to win the crown for humor. 

Before Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle, Kate gifted him with a rather embarrassing "grow your own girlfriend" kit. This item, easily found online, expands to six times its original size. It seems that the Duchess was poking fun at the then-bachelor's love life. While Prince Harry was on the receiving end of funny gifts, he also embraced the tradition of giving them. There's a delightful anecdote about him choosing a bathing cap one year with the inscription "Life's not bad for anyone except the late Queen."

Now, as for how Christmas is spent at Sandringham, the royal family has cherished traditions dating back to their German roots. For generations, they've continued the practice of opening their presents on Christmas Eve, a ritual that adds to the festive spirit.

As the Queen's grandchildren and great-grandchildren gather together on Christmas Eve, they put the finishing touches on the impressive 20-foot Christmas tree in the white drawing room. The gifts are arranged in the red drawing room on a table covered with white linen, with cards specifying where each pile of gifts should be placed. When everyone assembles, the royal guests enjoy a traditional Christmas feast and share the joy of opening their presents on Christmas Day at tea time.