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# Exhibit: Royal Gifts Through The Years
- URL: https://go-fug-yourself.ghost.io/exhibit-royal-gifts-through-the-years/
- Published: 2017-04-04T18:45:04.000Z
- Updated: 2017-04-04T20:24:51.000Z
- Author: Heather
- Tags: #wp, #wp-gallery, #slideshow, #Import 2026-10-07 07:49

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bf/b9/bfb99790-924d-4e41-a7e6-5e3c6e04fe57/content/images/static-gofugyourself-com/uploads/2017/04/gettyimages-664030634-1491271619.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: Staff members from Buckingham Palace display a Beaded Yoruba Throne from Nigeria presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1956, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Informative caption says this is a "Beaded Yoruba Throne from Nigeria presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1956." It's beautiful -- apparently it's one of a pair; would she REALLY miss one if I borrowed it? -- and I like to imagine these two museum workers are having the world's most polite tug of war about now many millimeters this way or that it should budge.

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030582-1491271650.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: A staff member from Buckingham Palace displays a London Undergound sign presented by Aldgate East Tube Station to Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Here we have "a London Undergound sign presented by Aldgate East Tube Station to Queen Elizabeth II in 2010." The DMIK reports she was there to view a memorial plaque when they gave it to her, [and you'll want to see the hella-jaunty coat and hat she chose](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1253544/Mind-gap-Maam-The-Queen-checks-Tube-day-10m-Bentley-breaks-down.html?ref=go-fug-yourself.ghost.io). Also, I know this is just the worker holding up the sign, but for a second I did wonder if it's on display with some kind of wax Queen hiding behind it.

## Royal Gifts Exhibition Preview at Buckingham Palace

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030552-1491271536.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: General view of a Gilded Bronze Owl from Leeds Civic Hall presented to Queen Elizabeth II, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Here we have "a Gilded Bronze Owl from Leeds Civic Hall presented to Queen Elizabeth II." Leeds Civic Hall [was opened by the Queen's grandfather and Mary of Teck](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/your-leeds/nostalgia/leeds-nostalgia-royal-occasion-for-leeds-civic-hall-1-5981683?ref=go-fug-yourself.ghost.io), but I can't find when or why she got this gift, other than... you know, everyone loves an owl. This replicates the four large ones that are a signature of Leeds itself (two of which are older and two of which were newish adds).

## Royal Gifts Exhibition Preview at Buckingham Palace

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030574-1491271549.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: General view of a Wooden Totem Pole carved by the Kwakiutl people of Canada presented to Queen Elizabeth II during a visit in 1971, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Moving along: "General view of a Wooden Totem Pole carved by the Kwakiutl people of Canada presented to Queen Elizabeth II during a visit in 1971." The bird is a Thunderbird, and it was presented by the mayor of Nanaimo, British Columbia, when she and Phil and Anne went over for the province's centenary. Take THAT, Informative Caption! 

## Royal Gifts Exhibition Preview at Buckingham Palace

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030624-1491271560.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: General view of a Silver bowl of fruit from Zambia presented to Queen Elizabeth II, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

"General view of a Silver bowl of fruit from Zambia presented to Queen Elizabeth II" in 1991 by the president of the country. A lot of work went into it, because...

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030584-1491272855.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: A staff member from Buckingham Palace displays a Silver bowl of fruit from Zambia presented to Queen Elizabeth II, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

... all the fruit is individually rendered and then deftly placed. I wonder how many pairs of gloves they went through at this shoot, so that they looked as gleaming as possible at all times.

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030544-1491271635.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: A staff member from Buckingham Palace displays the 'Vessel of Friendship' from China presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 2015, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

This is the Vessel of Friendship, given by China in 2015\. It's a model of a Ming Dynasty treasure ship, and has all sorts of symbolic significance that [the Royal Collection wants to tell you personally](https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/themes/exhibitions/royal-gifts/buckingham-palace/vessel-of-friendship?ref=go-fug-yourself.ghost.io) (otherwise I'd just be copying).

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030626-1491271591.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: A staff member from Buckingham Palace displays a Linen bag containing salt from the British Virgin Islands presented to Queen Elizabeth II, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

This is, yes, a bag of salt, but its story is good. It seems Salt Island off the British Virgin Islands was indeed known for its salt ponds ([and also the wreck of a Royal Mail steamer in the 1860s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt%5FIsland,%5FBritish%5FVirgin%5FIslands?ref=go-fug-yourself.ghost.io), now a scuba site), and in Queen Vic's day, residents of the islands would gather there and harvest it and send her a pound on her birthday. The tradition died out, but was renewed in 2015 by the governor, who said he's going to keep doing it.

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030612-1491271576.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: A staff member from Buckingham Palace displays a Terracotta figure of 'The Great Mother' from Macedonia presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

Here we have "a Terracotta figure of 'The Great Mother' from Macedonia, presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 2013."

![](https://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2017/04/GettyImages-664030638-1491271605.jpg)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: A staff member from Buckingham Palace displays a pair of baskets woven from coconut leaves from Tonga presented to Queen Elizabeth II, during a Preview of the Royal Gifts Exhibition, on April 3, 2017 in London. The exhibition includes gifts given during State Visits, overseas tours and official engagements and those presented to mark significant moments in Her Majesty's life. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

These are "baskets woven from coconut leaves from Tonga," presented by Queen Salote Tupou III of Tonga in 1953\. And she sounded AWESOME. Wiki says she stood at 6'3", and was instrumental in promoting archaeology in her country, authored texts and dance songs and love poems, and attended the Queen's coronation -- hence the basket gift -- resulting in this anecdote: "During the coronation procession, it began to rain and hoods were placed on the carriages in the procession. As Tongan custom dictates that one should not imitate the actions of person they are honouring, she refused a hood and rode through the pouring rain in an open carriage, endearing herself to spectators." I love her and I only just met her.

[Want To Ogle Some Official Gifts Given To The Queen?I sure do.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bf/b9/bfb99790-924d-4e41-a7e6-5e3c6e04fe57/content/images/static-gofugyourself-com/uploads/2017/04/gettyimages-664030634-1491271619.jpg)](https://go-fug-yourself.ghost.io/want-to-ogle-some-official-gifts-given-to-the-queen-04-2017/)