Donald Trump played it safe when choosing his official gifts for the Queen after he was invited to afternoon tea at Windsor Castle during his visit to the UK last year.
The royal family gifts list for 2018 records that the US president and the first lady, Melania Trump, presented the monarch with a pewter thoroughbred horse statuette, as well as a wood-engraved print of opening day at Jerome Park, the racetrack that opened in the Bronx in 1866.
Safe, but far from original – the 92-year-old horse-loving sovereign received a total of five equestrian-themed statuettes over the year. The Queen also received horse-themed gifts from the Peruvian and Burkina Faso ambassadors, the War Horse Memorial and from King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
There was, perhaps, relief when a framed picture of a Jersey cow arrived from the Jersey Cattle Society.
On a more practical note, a tartan rug, gifted by the lieutenant-governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, might come in useful at the reputedly draughty Balmoral.
Other gifts received by the Queen included a pair of pearl drop gold earrings with garnets and amethysts from Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore; a pound of salt in annual “rent” from Salt Island in the British Virgin Islands; and a Zulu beaded necklace from the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa.
For the recently retired Prince Philip, there was a fishing rod from the Trumps. Meanwhile, Princess Anne, an Olympic horsewoman, was the recipient of a less-traditional horse sculpture, one made from orthopaedic implant components, from the Corin Group.
Expectant parents the Duke and Duchess of Sussex received more than 90 soft toys on their tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji. The menagerie included kangaroos, koalas, possums, wombats, platypus, sheep, a numbat and an echidna. Harry added a veritable herd of toy elephants and a baby rhino, all given to him during a visit to Zambia. The couple also received 18 pairs of bootees, 15 baby vests, seven swaddle blankets, six bibs, four rattles and four matinee jackets on their travels.
Prince William’s historic visit to Jordan, Israel and Palestine yielded several crucifix, a kippah and an Armenian cross. From the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, he received a framed replica of the inscribed stone found in northern Israel, and from the mayor of Tel Aviv, a pair of flip-flops.
