Meghan Markle once impressed royals with hilarious Christmas gift for Prince William

The British royal family won't be celebrating Christmas together at Queen Elizabeth II' s Sandringham estate for the first time in several decades. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the British monarch to stay at Windsor Castle along with husband Prince Philip, as the rest of the royal family will be celebrating separately due to new strict lockdown guidelines.

Even though the family members will not be together, they are likely to take part in family traditions within their own immediate families, like gift-giving at tea on Christmas Eve —an old German practice. The practice was introduced to the family by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, in the mid-19th century, reports People.

The tradition has evolved over the years, and has included some hilarious gifs. Princess Anne once gifted a leather toilet to her brother Prince Charles, while Kate Middleton gave her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, a "Grow Your Own Girlfriend" kit. The royal family is sure into having some fun, and Meghan Markle also joined in when she participated in the Christmas celebration at Sandringham as Prince Harry's girlfriend.

In 2017, a year before her wedding to Harry, Meghan Markle had given Prince William a gag gift that scored major points with the family. Royal journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand write in "Finding Freedom" that gift-giving among the royals has always been "an audition like no other, and [Meghan] wanted to impress her future royal relatives. To that end, Meghan's biggest challenge was finding the perfect novelty gifts to amuse her new extended family."

According to the authors, the former American actress gifted her brother-in-law with some interesting cutlery. They write in the book: "At least one of her gifts was a huge hit—a spoon for William that had 'cereal killer' embossed on the shallow bowl end of the utensil."

Finding Freedom also gave insights into other gag gifts the royals have exchanged over the years.

"One year, Harry reportedly gave the Queen a shower cap emblazoned with the phrase, 'Ain't life a [expletive],' which she loved," the authors added. "Another time he gifted his grandmother a Big Mouth Billy Bass singing toy that was said to sit proudly in Balmoral, her Scottish retreat, and provides the Queen with great laughs."

Meghan and Harry are all set to celebrate their son Archie's first Christmas in their first-independently bought home in Montecito, California. William and Kate are spending the holiday with their children at their country home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk.