I know that gift guides are all the rage at this time of the year, but I don’t think that I can confidently make a ton of them. (Or at least not ones with genuine suggestions.) However, if I know anything, it is the royals. And according to my reader stats, many of you are interested in the royals. So whether or not you want to buy something for yourself, or something for someone else who is interested in the royals, this royal gift guide will hopefully help you on your way!
*Note: if you haven’t started your holiday shopping yet, I would do that ASAP- shipping times are still quite long and will only get longer.
Books and Biographies
This may be an obvious choice for a royal gift guide, but I find that most royal history buffs/royal watchers enjoy reading royal books. And I won’t lie, there are many of us who collect royal books like they are going out of style. I would double check whether or not the person that you are buying for likes non-fiction/biography books or fiction, to be sure. (Or maybe they don’t discriminate and like both!) Here are some of my favourite recent royal books that make excellent gifts!
Fiction
A House Full of Windsor (Kristin Contino)– This is a heartfelt story of a family finding their way back together against the backdrop of the royal family!
In Royal Service to the Queen (Tessa Arlen)– This fictional telling of Marion Crawford’s life and career as governess to the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret is fascinating, heartfelt, and heartbreaking, I could not put it down.
Non-Fiction
Elizabeth and Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters (Andrew Morton)- I am biased because I think that Princess Margaret deserves more attention but this double biography of the two Windsor sisters is astute, measured, and looks at the duo in a different light.
Noble Ambitions: The English Country House After World War II (Adrian Tinniswood)– This is royal-adjacent, but is brilliantly written and super entertaining- the royals show up at country houses frequently, and its a whole other world most of us never enter.
Royal Women Bookmark Trio
I will be completely upfront- these are my bookmarks, and I sell them in my Etsy shop! If you have a royal reader in your life, these bookmarks are the perfect stocking stuffer or add-on for a book. I’ve featured three of my favourite royal quotes from Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), and Princess Margaret- all fascinating strong women. The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in particular don’t get the attention that they deserve, and are often ignored for the monarchs on the throne. The set comes with all three bookmarks, so no decisions to make!
Also, if you do decide to purchase these, thank you in advance- your support means the world!
Royal Ephemera, aka Souvenirs
This can be a harder category to shop in, but can also lead to some of the best finds. Royal souvenirs (aka knick-knacks) can be found pretty much anywhere: thrift shops, local garage sales/ car boot sales, Etsy, eBay, Amazon (more so if it is a book), Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, really anywhere. If you are looking for a specific item (related to a particular wedding, tour, coronation, etc), I would recommend focusing on Etsy and eBay- compare prices!
If you know you want to get them something royal, but aren’t quite sure what, I would start by searching the royal’s name on Etsy. There are many shops that focus on royal items, and that will give you a great starting place.
Some ideas of what you can give: teacups/saucers, commemorative plates and spoons, Pitkin guides of weddings/ tours/ events, collectable medals, invitations to and programmes from royal events, and books. (Many royals throughout the last 150 years have produced and sold books, and they are often fascinating.) These can be very unique gifts- if you struggle to guy gifts for the royal watcher in your life, this might be the way to go.
Exhibition and Historic Site Tickets
With travel still incredibly limited (and people rightfully being cautious), this is a loose suggestion. If you do live near a museum or a historic site with royal exhibitions or a royal past, these can always be a wonderful gift. Depending on where you are, some museums have more royal-focused exhibitions than others but there are always a few happening (at least in the UK). And if the receiver is the type of person who prefers experiences to physical things, tickets could be the perfect gift! When you are booking, check into membership options as well- sometimes a membership is only slightly more, or a ticket can be upgraded to a membership. (Membership often gives free entry to ticketed events, so it could be the gift that keeps on giving!)
Also, depending on where you are, tickets to Six the Musical would also be a great gift. There is a London cast of Six, a UK touring cast, a Broadway cast, an Australia/New Zealand cast, a soon-to-be US tour cast, and cruise casts- hopefully there is one near you, as it is always a great choice!
Bonus: Streaming Services
This would be more of a second-choice gift- back in the day, DVDs and box sets were fantastic gifts. However, most royal-themed films and shows (and really all films and shows) are on streaming services now instead of DVDs.* If you know someone like period dramas or shows like The Crown or The Great, you could get them half a year or a year of a streaming service. I would double check which they already have and what shows are on the service you are considering, but it might be a good gift!
*I may be the only person left still occasionally buying DVDs…
I hope this royal gift guide helps with your holiday shopping plans!
Cheers,
The Historian
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