And you, what would you give a king?

BarcelonaGiving gifts is a real headache. Firstly, because if you don't get it right you feel like you're a bad friend who has no idea about the tastes and needs of the loved one you're giving the gift to. And secondly, because you have to spend money that you perhaps need more than the person you're giving the gift to, and it's quite annoying to realize that, on top of that, the very thing you imagined they might find funny will end up forgotten in a drawer. That's why a good option ends up being to give a check that allows them to buy whatever they want, something that, while sad from a more romantic point of view, ends up being a good thought for everyone: easier for you and more practical for the recipient.

But what do you do if the person you have to give the gift to is a king? You can't give them a gift voucher from El Corte Inglés so they can go find something they'll like on a free Saturday afternoon. If you have to give a gift to a king or queen, you have to work much more than usual, since they have the world at their feet, they don't need anything, and on top of that, they receive so many gifts that for them to remember yours you have to have incredible aim. If I ever found myself in this situation, I think I would bring them a card explaining that I gave the cost of their gift to an NGO. However, it seems that no one in the United Kingdom has had that idea, since Buckingham has made public the gifts that first Queen Elizabeth II and then her son Charles received between 2021 and 2023, and, in no case, did anyone give them a gift that would serve to indicate that they were already rich enough. On the contrary, everyone opted to give them something richer and more privileged.

Gin and clothes for the corgis

In the queen, the gifts They showered her with all sorts of gifts. Seriously, the variety shows that people take things very seriously, as if imagining that she'd remember them and what they represent for having racked her brains over the gift. But everyone ignored that this old lady with classic tastes, deep down, most appreciated people who took the least amount of her time. At 96 years old and after 70 years opening official gifts, she must have perceived the best gift as quickly finishing the meeting in question and not telling her what they do in your town.

Books stand out on the gift list, and they come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from biographies to essays on the history of certain associations. But these are obviously the kind of engagement gifts that don't require much thought, are unoriginal, and lack research. The Royal Australian Air Force did the research beforehand to find the right gift, presenting the monarch with six jackets. for their corgi dogs, the only members of her family who brought her joy rather than grief. The South Korean ambassador also thought of the woman behind the institution, giving her a blanket and a pillow, two useful items for a nonagenarian. They also Googled her tastes and gave her a porcelain horse, as the queen was a great fan of horses and, above all, of betting on horse races.

Toward the end of her reign, Elizabeth II received gifts from important figures. Perhaps the most notable of these was Joe Biden, who gave her an engraved Tiffany silver box. Others gave her a paving stone from a film set for the series. Coronation Street, which has more than 11,000 episodes and began airing in 1960, shortly after she acceded to the throne. There's no doubt she'd seen every episode, even if it was out of patriotic pride. Those who thought most of her also gave her gin, a spirit she's always said to have, like other members of her family, a great fondness for. And honey; everyone brought her jars of it. Thank goodness it doesn't expire. The published list also includes the last gift she received: a stained-glass panel. Why would they give her this, when she even had entire chapels with stained-glass windows in her homes? She had plenty of stained-glass windows! The list is completed with things like two lanterns, a cedar of Lebanon (a gift from Pope Francis), two canoes, and a walking stick. A suitable gift, really, but one that perhaps she didn't need...

A puzzle for Carlos (and a very expensive car)

Charles III has also been given gifts of all kinds. People gifts He has been given things like a puzzle, three packets of cigarettes, coins, a statue of Elizabeth II, a tie, two jars of honey, skincare products, a marble chess board, a sustainable coffee mug, and a rug. It's true that among the gifts he's received are things as inappropriate as tobacco—it seems like you want the reign to end quickly...—or a statue of his mother, as if she hadn't already cast enough shadows on him throughout his life without them having to give him sculptures of his mother instead of es now that he's king.

Since her coronation, the gifts received by Lady Di's ex have increased. In fact, the list of post-coronation presents runs to thirty pages. Old-fashioned gifts like a scarf, a silk handkerchief, a walking stick, and a pillow have been added. Do the British think their monarchs constantly have sore throats? It's a shame, because if it were sold, it could help those causes that royals only attend for photo ops. Joe Biden and his wife Jill have also given him gifts: letters between Queen Elizabeth II and President Eisenhower in which she invited him to visit the United Kingdom.

What I have detailed here is only a part of the very long list of gifts received by the royals British. Imagine what it will be like blue space where all the gifts received by the entire royal family are kept—apart from the king and queen, all the family members also receive them, and they would also be invented and kept...—over Queen Elizabeth's 70 years on the throne. It's mind-boggling that all that value doesn't have a more direct impact on the people. Legally, these assets aren't theirs, they belong to the state, but the state can't use them because the usufruct of the gifts belongs to the royal family. In other words, they pretend they don't keep them, but in practice they do. The good thing is that if these gifts are worth less than 200 euros, they can give them away. If they're worth more, it's prohibited. It's not that they, who are the custodians of so much generosity from the people who support them from birth to death, were too generous with the people. I'm sorry that my gift to you this Sunday is nothing more than this sad royal portrait!