Kate Middleton’s billion dollar birthday gift from King Charles
As the Princess of Wales turns 42, the King looks set to bestow upon her privileges rarely given to even blood royals.
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King Charles, it turns out, is quite the jewellery guy. He splashed out $190,000 to buy a tiara for Queen Camilla that had belonged to her great-grandmother Alice Keppel, bought her $10,600 Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra drop earrings, which symbolise luck, and in 2001 decided that an enormous platinum and diamond snake necklace was just the thing for his steady squeeze.
Charles is “always” buying his paramour baubles, a source close to the royal family has told Majesty’s Ingrid Seward.
The same goes for both of his daughters-in-law with reports that he has given both Kate, the Princess of Wales and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex some lovely sparkly things that come with five or six-figure price tags.
If you think that’s generous, hold onto your hats. (We are all wearing hats right now, right? Or just me?)
Here we are, a matter of days into 2024 and already His Majesty has outdone himself, with reports he is set to give Kate, who celebrated her 42nd birthday this week, a potentially billion-dollar bit of fancy. Ooh err.
Sadly, His Majesty has not decided to gift wrap Devon and have it delivered via second class post as a way of saying job well done for Kate having popped out three small HRHs and fully mastered the demure wave.
Instead he could be about to afford her a very rare privilege that dates back to the 15th century and which very few members of the royal family possess.
I’m talking about the business of granting Royal Warrants, that is the official endorsement and mark that only certain members of the royal family are allowed to bestow on their chosen brands and suppliers.
The Daily Mail’s royal editor Rebecca English this week reported that there is “talk that the Princess – as well as her husband – might be given the power to issue her own Royal Warrants for the first time.”
The value of Kate getting her very own Royal Warrant “would be almost incalculable,” several existing holders have told English.
Already the ‘Kate effect’ has been valued at more than $1.5 billion so just consider what would happen if the world suddenly found out what were, precisely, the princess’ most-loved brands and products, the things she turns to daily and loves that we never hear about or see. For example, if she was to follow in the late Queen’s footsteps, we could see Kate issue Royal Warrants for everything from her favourite vino to wallpaper to bras (really) to drycleaners.
Just imagine if in the not too distant future we start seeing Kate give her official seal of approval to gym gear or eye serums or protein powders. The Princess of Wales’ power to anoint a particular brand or product with her imprimatur would be worth a truly mind boggling amount.
Kate could become the world’s most powerful influence, ever.
This is all just the first part of what His Majesty might have in store for her treat-wise, with the King having as second possible goodie up his sleeves.
English has also revealed that “there is much chatter in royal circles that King Charles might …[appoint Kate] as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter”.
Trust me on this, that appellation might sound like some bit of ridiculous flummery from a community theatre production of the Le Morte d’Arthur but this is big stuff.
The Royal Order of the Garter was founded by Edward I in 1348 during the Hundred Year’s War and membership of the chivalric Order is THE most exclusive accolade a monarch can bestow, the sort of morsel that only select former Prime Ministers get given.
I know, this might not seem as exciting as spying a bulging gift bag from royal jewellers Garrard but if you are into the arcane symbolism of the throne, this is a much much better present.
To understand just how big of a deal this would be, if Kate gets either her own Royal Warrant or is member of the Garter or both and with a big cherry on top, these are distinctions never afforded to her mother-in-law Diana, the late Princess of Wales.
(None of the King’s siblings are allowed to issue Royal Warrants nor even if he had stayed inside the royal tent is it likely that Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex would have been made an official Grantor as they are known.)
On the Garter front, Diana is reported to have hankered after being made a member, a wish that the late Queen never acquiesced to.
If, in the coming months, we see Charles go down this route and hand the princess these shiny, highly coveted morsels, it will constitute a loud and clear sign left of just how highly he esteems Kate and her work. Consider being made a Royal Warrant Grantor or given member of the Garter the Princess of Wales getting the ultimate top marks in her palace performance review.
Kate might never have had a full-time job before 2017 (ever) and have gotten herself a moderately acceptable degree from a moderate university but Britain thinks she’s the best thing to happen to the country since the introduction of Sunday trading under Margaret Thatcher. (Napoleon did say the British were a nation of shopkeepers.)
The most recent YouGov polling shows that nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of Brits have a positive view of her, outperforming the King and Queen and only marginally being pipped at the post by Prince William with 75 per cent.
There is no shred of a doubt that Kate is the crown’s great hope, with so much – if not, everything – hanging on her incredible popularity.
The trope might be the prince swooping in on his charger to rescue the damsel but in truth, for centuries now, it is women from far less exalted backgrounds who have married royal blokes and stepped in to save the day.
Undamaged by emotionally barren childhoods, unaffected by the psychological warping that seems to be part and parcel of a royal upbringing and bringing with them some handy, fresh DNA, the real royal story is that hinges on wives.
Wives like the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and the hugely popular Queen Alexandra who played just as fundamental a role in the continued survival and popularity of the British crown as anyone named George or Edward and who possessed massive moustaches. (Alexandra is responsible for the popularity of chokers, don’t you know.)
Today, the monarchy as a whole is looking a tad wobbly but things would be a damn sight worth without Kate.
That’s why, if Charles was really thinking clearly, he should not only get stuck into the Royal Warrant business and start the process of having one of those gloriously ridiculous velvet Garter caps made up for Kate but he should be galling Garrard to find out how fast they can bike around enough carats to impress Zsa Zsa Garbor.
The King’s official responsibilities include being the Defender of the Faith and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Services but if he’s switched on, he should add Keeping Kate Sweet to that list. Seriously. Have an aide get him Van Cleef & Arpels number and find out if they do home delivery.
Daniela Elser is a writer, editor and a royal commentator with more than 15 years’ experience working with a number of Australia’s leading media titles.
Originally published as Kate Middleton’s billion dollar birthday gift from King Charles
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