Kate Middleton Panicked and Gave the Queen Chutney for Christmas

Ah, chutney: the gift she *really* wants.

Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Getty)

Picking out a gift for your mother-in-law is hard. Picking out a gift for your MIL when she's literally got everything is damn near impossible.

"I can remember being at Sandringham, for the first time, at Christmas. And I was worried what to give the Queen as her Christmas present," said the Duchess of Cambridge in the same TV special in which she reveals Prince George's nickname for his grandmother, according to the Telegraph.

"I was thinking, 'Gosh, what should I give her?' I thought back to what would I give my own grandparents. And I thought, 'I'll make her something.' Prince William had already written a nice essay about her and claimed the potholder (JK), so her "granny's recipe of chutney" it was.

"I was slightly worried about it, but I noticed the next day that it was on the table," said. "I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me and I've noticed since she's done that on lots of occasions and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her care in looking after everybody."

Awww. Maybe Ol' Lizzy was like "It's the thought that counts" when Kate handed her that jar of boiled-down fruits and vegetables, but you know—she did owe her one for the wedges.

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Chelsea Peng
Assistant Editor

Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.