Franklin Dean
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle asked for charitable donations to be made to seven of their chosen charities instead of wedding gifts. The couple were inundated with packages and parcels at their Kensington Palace home and had to return an estimated £7 million worth of unsolicited presents from businesses, firms, and celebrities. The royal gift policy states that the family can't accept gifts from anyone hoping to exploit the gift for commercial purposes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding date | May 19, 2018 |
| Wedding location | Windsor Castle |
| Wedding gifts received | An Indian bull named Merry, two Akubras (bush hats), a Bond 007-stamped lighter set, a slow cooker, a diamond tennis bracelet, and £7 million worth of other gifts |
| Wedding gifts returned | £7 million worth of gifts |
| Reason for returning gifts | Royals are not allowed to receive gifts from businesses or people they do not personally know, and gifts cannot be exploited for commercial purposes |
| Alternative way to mark the occasion | Requested charitable donations to seven chosen charities |
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What You'll Learn
Harry and Meghan asked for charitable donations
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle requested that well-wishers donate to charity instead of sending them wedding gifts. The couple reportedly sent back an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) worth of gifts to their senders.
In a statement released by Kensington Palace, the couple said:
> "Prince Harry & Ms. Meghan Markle are incredibly grateful for the goodwill they have received since their engagement. Instead of sending wedding gifts, the couple has asked that anyone who might wish to mark the occasion considers making a donation to charity."
The couple hoped that these charitable donations would help address issues faced by underserved communities. They invited 2,640 people to Windsor Castle to celebrate their wedding, and many of these guests likely made donations in lieu of gifts.
Since their wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have continued their charitable work through their Archewell organisation. In 2023, Archewell donated grants of $1.2 million (£950,000) to various charities, including a "gender justice" project in Washington, a civil rights charity, and a project promoting the responsible use of technology. They have also supported organisations aiding the people of Ukraine and made donations to help those affected by Winter Storm Uri in Texas.
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They returned £7 million worth of gifts
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) worth of wedding gifts. The royal couple were inundated with packages and parcels at their Kensington Palace home, but members of the royal family are not allowed to receive gifts from the public or companies that could be used for commercial purposes.
Before the wedding, Kensington Palace released a statement requesting that any gifts be sent to the palace for review. The statement also noted that the consent of the royal family member for any gifts accepted should be "contingent upon the enterprise undertaking not to exploit the gift for commercial purposes". Despite this, some people sent gifts anyway, resulting in the large number of returns.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's team had to return the gifts in the weeks following their wedding. The couple were, however, able to accept several donations, which they had publicised before the big day. Contributions were sent to a variety of charities the couple felt passionate about, including CHIVA, Crisis, Myna Mahila Foundation, Scotty's Little Soldiers, StreetGames, Surfers Against Sewage, and The Wilderness Foundation UK.
Harry and Meghan also set up a private gift list for their closest friends and family members. The couple reportedly curated a list with exclusive members' club Soho House, which included stunning home items to furnish their future home in Kensington Palace.
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Royals can't accept gifts that could be used for commercial purposes
The royal family's gift policy, which was drawn up in 1995 and last updated in 2003, broadly divides gifts into two categories: official and personal. Official gifts are those received by the family in connection with their official duties or those sent in by businesses or individuals they do not personally know. They include those received from officials or dignitaries, such as other heads of state or elected representatives, during state visits or other official functions. Official gifts are not the private property of the family member they were given to, and so the Queen decides who gets to keep which gift. They can be worn or used by members of the royal family or placed on public display in palaces, but they cannot be sold or traded to ensure offence is not caused to the donor. Items given to the monarch from another head of state or government automatically become part of the royal collection.
Personal gifts are those from people whom members of the royal family know in a private capacity and are not given in connection with an official engagement or duty. These can be of any value and are owned by the family member privately. Gifts from those with whom they have some sort of formal relationship, such as royal warrant holders, are also considered personal, but only if they are worth less than £150. Anything more valuable is considered an official gift.
The royal gift policy states that the family can’t accept gifts from anyone hoping to “exploit the gift for commercial purposes”. In plain English, the royals are not allowed to accept gifts if the items are meant as walking advertisements. For instance, if a hat company sent the couple caps, and photos of them wearing those hats drove business, that would be a violation of the policy.
Despite the rules, some people sent wedding gifts to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before their wedding day. Kensington Palace released an official statement that told fans that if they hoped to give the couple a memento, it needed to be sent to Kensington Palace for review. Harry and Meghan also chose a handful of charities and requested donations be sent there instead of wedding gifts. Ultimately, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's team returned an estimated £7 million worth of presents to the senders.
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Gifts were sent to Kensington Palace
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex ultimately returned the majority of these gifts, as is typical of royal protocol. The royal gift policy states that the family cannot accept gifts from anyone hoping to "exploit the gift for commercial purposes" and can only accept consumable gifts like flowers and food or gifts worth less than £150 ($200).
Harry and Meghan had requested that well-wishers instead make donations to a handful of charities they had chosen, including Children's HIV Association, Crisis, Myna Mahila Foundation, Scotty's Little Soldiers, StreetGames, Surfers Against Sewage, and The Wilderness Foundation UK. The couple did receive some incredible gifts, including a number of donations to their selected charities, and one gift from the Queen—Frogmore Cottage, which was offered as a home for the couple and their son, Archie, in the UK.
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The couple received unconventional gifts
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not want wedding gifts and instead requested charitable donations to seven of their chosen charities: Children's HIV Association, Crisis, Myna Mahila Foundation, Scotty's Little Soldiers, StreetGames, Surfers Against Sewage, and The Wilderness Foundation UK. However, the couple still received an estimated £7 million ($9.3 million) worth of unsolicited gifts from businesses, firms, and celebrities. As a result, they had to return most of these gifts as they were not allowed to accept gifts from people they did not personally know or that could be used for commercial purposes.
Despite this, the couple did receive some unconventional gifts. PETA India gifted the couple an Indian bull named Merry, a combination of Harry and Meghan's names. The Australian state of New South Wales also promised to make a cash donation towards preserving koala habitats, and the Taronga Zoo in Australia has a couple of koalas named after the royal couple. Harry and Meghan also received a slow cooker and a Bond 007-stamped lighter set.
In addition to these unique gifts, the couple also received more traditional wedding presents. Meghan was particularly fond of the diamond tennis bracelet that King Charles gave her to mark the occasion. They also set up a private gift list for their closest friends and family members, which reportedly included stunning home items to furnish their future house, Apartment 1 in Kensington Palace.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Harry and Meghan received wedding gifts, including a diamond tennis bracelet from King Charles. However, they were unable to accept the majority of the gifts sent to them.
Members of the royal family are not allowed to receive gifts from the public or companies that could be used for commercial purposes.
Harry and Meghan chose a handful of charities and requested donations be sent there in lieu of wedding gifts. Some of the charities included Children’s HIV Association, Crisis, Myna Mahila Foundation, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, and StreetGames.
Yes, Harry and Meghan received some unusual gifts, including a bull in an Indian sanctuary named Merry, two Akubras (classic Australian bush hats), and a Bond 007-stamped lighter.
Yes, in addition to requesting charitable donations, Harry and Meghan also set up a private gift list for their closest friends and family members.
