Prince George's Previous Birthday Gifts Aren't Ones You'd Find On An Average Child's Wish List

Turning double digits is exciting enough for any child, but when you're the future King of England, it means you're that much closer to the throne than you were the year before. William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales, reportedly had big plans for Prince George's milestone 10th birthday on July 22, 2023. It's said they had a celebration at home for family and friends, including ones from George's school. (It's likely everyone in his class was invited; snubbing a child would be a horribly gauche thing for the royal family to do.) Kate Middleton has said she stays up late making all of her children's birthday cakes with "ridiculous amounts of cake mix and icing" (per E! News), and it's rather delightful to think of the princess opening boxes of Duncan Hines at 10 p.m. 

But hard as the Waleses may try to appear like relatable everyday folks, they can't escape their elite status, particularly where special occasions are concerned. Over the years, the young heir has received hundreds of lavish gifts from family members and foreign dignitaries; He got over 750 presents in 2015 alone. Some of them have been both dazzling and child-pleasing: According to The U.S. Sun, for George's first birthday, then-Prince Charles gifted him a playhouse that was reportedly installed at his own property. He also received a handcrafted rocking horse from then-president Barack Obama. But some of the other items gifted to George aren't ones you'd find on the shelves of Toys 'R' Us.

The royal family is used to receiving extravagant gifts; after all, when you're hosting a monarch, you can't just dash to Walgreens for a set of Paco Rabanne colognes. So even the youngest royal children are showered with gifts ranging from the high-end to the just plain unique, and Prince George has gotten more than his share. For his first birthday, Pope Francis gave the prince a ceremonial orb made of the semiprecious stone lapis lazuli. Not exactly made for a game of catch in the yard. Oxford Airport went all-out and painted a private jet with a "Happy Birthday George" message. On a tour of Australia and New Zealand just a few months before his first birthday, the toddler received a haul that included a miniature amphibious boat, a surfboard and skateboard, a possum skin cloak, and a crocodile.  No, George didn't bring it home — it lives in an Australian croc sanctuary.

George's royal relatives have gotten him more practical presents. In 2020, when socializing was restricted, William and Kate gave their son a yurt (a type of outdoor tent) so George could enjoy camping at home. The prince has also accumulated a number of miniature cars, including an SUV from Prince Harry. And in 2022, Queen Elizabeth II honored her great-grandson by having the Irish Guards play "Happy Birthday" during the Buckingham Palace changing of the guard.