King Charles gifts cheeky Christmas presents to his staff each year

The 75-year-old monarch makes sure his staff have a good Christmas too. Photo / Getty Images

King Charles is said to give cheeky Christmas gifts to his staff.

The 75-year-old monarch leaves “funny little things” for his workers around the festive holidays, including in their lockers, according to his former butler-turned etiquette expert Grant Harrold.

Harrold, 45, told the Daily Mirror: “One time he left a tin of salmon and one year I got a salt and pepper grinder wrapped in a ribbon”.

“He had probably been given a hamper and sometimes there would be a lot in them and he would give some of the bits to us.”

Harrold worked for Charles from 2004 to 2011, and added the king would leave gifts in their pigeon holes, where his employees would typically receive their mail.

The former staffer said he thought it was “bizarre” to receive such gifts because he didn’t expect Charles, or any royal, to make such a gesture.

The royals also give their staff their annual famous Christmas card. Photo / AP

He added: “It shows that they’ve got that fun, practical side to them.”

Harrold also told how Charles also gives his employees “proper gifts”, such as tea cups and saucers or whiskey glasses.

“One year I got a lovely water jug. What would happen is, for example with the teacups, you would get them maybe two or three years in a row because there would be a whole set to collect.”

Harrold also said the royals give staff their annual “famous Christmas card”, adding: “Before he was married to the now Queen Consort, I remember getting Christmas cards from him, William and Harry and that was always quite special”.

Prince Harry, 39, revealed in his memoir Spare his relatives uphold the same tradition with each other.

He wrote that Princess Margaret once gave him a ballpoint pen.

His wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 42, joined in by giving him an ornament of Queen Elizabeth II in 2020.

Harry said in his book: “Meg had spotted it in a local store and thought I might like it. I held it to the light. It was Granny’s face to a T.

“I hung it on an eye-level branch. It made me happy to see her there.”