The exchange of gifts between rulers is an ancient custom and gift giving is recorded as far back as 1520 when Henry VIII and Francis I of France exchanged gifts at the Field of Cloth of Gold in Northern France.

The tradition has continued throughout the reigns of subsequent Monarchs. Possibly the most unusual of these are the live animals which have been exchanged. A cheetah was sent from India to George III in 1764, and a giraffe was given to George IV by the Pasha of Egypt in 1827. At a time when many people did not know what these animals looked like, these rare and exotic gifts were highly prized and enabled rulers to display their wealth and status.

Animals are still occasionally given to members of the Royal Family. They are never delivered directly to the Royal Household, but are usually re-homed in an appropriate zoo or animal sanctuary.

Animals given as gifts during The Queen’s reign include: a brown Syrian bear given to Princess Anne by the Soviet leaders Bulganin and Kruschev; two sloths given to The Queen during her State Visit to Brazil in 1968; a baby crocodile given to Prince Andrew (later The Duke of York) following the State Visit to Gambia in 1961 and a horse given to The Queen by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. The horse was housed in the Royal Mews.

Other more unusual animals have been placed in the care of London Zoo, among them a canary from Germany, jaguars and sloths from Brazil, two black beavers from Canada, two young giant turtles from the Seychelles and an elephant called Jumbo from the Cameroon.