Even George, Louis and Charlotte can't resist a Jellycat! William reveals the popular toy is his 'children's currency'

Daily Mail​

21-05-2025

Even royal children can't resist a Jellycat toy, Prince William has revealed, as he admitted the viral plushies are his brood's 'currency'.
The Prince and Princess of Wales met with Mateo Robayna, nine, the brother of inspirational cancer campaigner and photographer Liz Hatton yesterday at a Buckingham Palace garden party.
Mateo gave the couple two very special gifts - a plush Jellycat toy, with Catherine, 43, taking a 'Tarte au citron' and William, 42, a collector's item Pickled Onion.
The gifts will spark delight among the pair's three children, Princes George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, who are all avid Jellycat lovers according to their father.
Joyfully accepting the toys, which were specially selected by Matteo based on Liz's love of lemon drizzle cake and all things pickled, William said he wasn't the only one who'd be delighted by the unique gifts.
'My children will love these, They are children's currency,' he said.
Mateo, the younger brother of the late Liz Hatton - who's photography pursuit during her final months inspired Catherine to take up the craft - said Jellycats were his sister's favourite and she would give them to people who 'made her happy'.
His mother, Vicky said that both the Prince and Princess has asked Mateo separately if he was sure he wanted to give them the toys, to which he eagerly insisted they take them.
Kate, who wore a stunning lemon coloured ensemble, pointed out that her toy perfectly matched her dress. ''It matches my dress, how did you know? We talked about it. When I see the fish and chips Jellycat, I think of her.'
And while a lemon tart and pickled onion may seem odd choices, they do in fact have very special meaning for both Liz, who tragically died in November at the age of just 17, as well as the royals.
When the teenager - who inspired the nation with both her courageous battle against a rare form of terminal cancer and determination to complete a 'bucket list' of photographic assignments - was invited by William to Windsor Castle in October to capture an investiture, he and Catherine also decided to invite the family to stay for tea.
They asked their team to find out what Liz's favourite foods were. Sadly at the time her cancer was at such an advanced state that her sense of taste was affected and she was having trouble eating very much at all.
When Liz's parents told them she adored lemon drizzle cake, William and Catherine got their kitchen to rustle up a special cake just for her.
Liz later declared it the best she had ever eaten - and even towards the end of her life would still talk about how amazing it was.
Mateo felt that the lemon tart toy would be a perfect choice for the princess, who was photographed hugging Liz - a particularly emotional gesture given her own cancer fight.
As for the pickled onion? 'Because Liz loved all things pickled,' her mother Vicky told Mail Online, adding that she thought the prince would have enjoyed the joke.
'Both were Mateo's choice!'
She said that the royal couple both asked separately if he were sure he wanted to give the toys up to them, and of course he did.
Kate said: 'It matches my dress, how did you know? We talked about it. When I see the fish and chips Jellycat, I think of her.
'She really made the most of everything. I loved her creativity all the way through. If you need any help fundraising, maybe I can help. Please stay in touch, really.'
The couple made a point of inviting Liz family's - mother Vicky, step-father Aaron and brother Mateo - to their garden party as a tribute to their incredible daughter and sister.
They have remained privately in touch with the family since last year.
Following Liz's death, William and Kate paid tribute to her, saying: 'We are so sorry to hear that Liz Hatton has sadly passed away.
'It was an honour to have met such a brave and humble young woman. Our thoughts and prayers are with Liz's parents Vicky and Aaron, and her brother Mateo, at this unimaginably difficult time.'
The four royals appeared in bright spirits as they headed down the steps upon arrival
On Tuesday, Kate re-wore her lemon yellow dress by Emilia Wickstead and a hat by Phillip Treacy as she stood on the terrace for the National Anthem in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, while the Prince of Wales wore a morning suit.
The Princess of Wales's look today was a re-wear of her ensemble from the Service of Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
Yesterday marked her first appearance at a garden party since 2023 - having skipped last year while she was having cancer treatment.
Vicky and Aaron have since channeled their grief into creating Capture, a charity dedicated to supporting those with Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour, the rare cancer that claimed Liz's life.
The charity has funded its first research project and plans to launch its website by the end of May. They are also fundraising through events like a 24-hour swim and a marathon challenge for 100 teams. A photo calendar featuring Liz's work will be released on what would have been her 18th birthday.
Also at Tuesday's garden party was Tony Hudgell, the double amputee from Kent who missed the King's garden party last year.
The Prince and Princess, who were joined by Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie, and Sophie and Edward, Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, had met Liz just months before her passing.
Liz's dream of photographing the Prince of Wales at an investiture was fulfilled shortly before she died in November 2024.
The royal couple's meeting with Liz's parents today was a poignant reminder of her strength and spirit.
Kate spoke warmly of Liz's courage, saying, 'Her passion for photography and her bravery in the face of such challenges inspired us both deeply.'
In addition to meeting the Hatton family, Kate was also reunited with Holocaust survivor Steven Frank, whom she'd met at a Holocaust Memorial Day event in 2025. When they met Kate said, 'I feel like we are old friends now. Lovely to see you again.'
Their meeting brought full circle their previous connection, as the Princess had photographed Mr Frank in 2020 for her Generations: Portraits of Holocaust Survivors exhibition, capturing powerful images that honoured those who lived through the atrocities of the Second World War.
The reunion was a deeply moving continuation of that bond, with the royal couple paying tribute to Mr Frank's story and the enduring importance of remembrance.
Other royals in attendance were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, wearing a dress by Beulah and hat by Jane Taylor, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Although the King wasn't present, the party in the palace grounds is still known as The King's Garden Party and held on his behalf.
Typically, the royal family hosts four garden parties every summer; three at Buckingham Palace and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland.
The parties stem from a tradition of introducing debutantes into society - but evolved into a way of rewarding and recognising outstanding public service.
Among the figures invited to garden parties are nominated by state and local government departments, religious figures and official societies.
Each garden party - and there are normally around three or four held each year - see up to 8,000 specially-invited guests including community stalwarts, charity campaigners and military heroes invited to take tea and enjoy the palace gardens.
While the bands continue to play a selection of music, members of the Royal Family circulate among the guests through 'lanes'.
Each takes a different route and random presentations are made so that everyone has an equal chance of speaking to a royal before they they arrive at the Royal Tea Tent, where they meet further guests.
They are then are then free to eat, drink and stroll around the beautiful Palace gardens.
Other notable guests include Steven Frank, a Holocaust survivor who The Princess photographed in 2020 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust.
Their Royal Highnesses will also meet guests from a number of both their patronages, military affiliations and passion projects including; Homewards, Action for Children, Ty Hafan, and tenants across Duchy of Cornwall sites.
The Jellycat 'cult' that has got grown women forking out THOUSANDS on cuddly toys
British woman are forking out thousands of pounds on a cuddly toy trend that has swept the internet.
Jellycats, a British toy company, was founded by brothers Thomas and William Gatacre in 1999 - around the same time as American businessman Ty Warner introduced the world to Beanie Babies that became the world's first Internet sensation.
Nearly three decades later, videos of women finding, unboxing, and cherishing their pricey Jellycats - available in a dizzying array of shapes, characters, and objects - are flooding TikTok, making these plush toys the world's most recent online fad.
'Sometimes you just need a giant Jellycat,' one TikTok user captioned a video of her dancing with a Silver Bashful Bunny - estimated to be worth £225.
Multiple creators have posted their hauls, or shared clips of themselves unwrapping these plushies on social media - with hundreds of thousands of posts under the hashtag #Jellycat on TikTok and Instagram.
A Jellycat could, in fact, represent one of many things. From food and drink items such as the 'Toastie Vivacious Red Aubergine' and 'Sassy Sushi Egg', to farm yard animals like the 'Cluny Cockerel', fantastical creatures like the 'Lavender Dragon', and everyday objects like coffee cups and salt and pepper shakers.
Their creators breathe life into these Jellycats by giving them personality traits, such as 'Amuseable' or 'Bashful', or quirky names like 'Fergus Frog' or 'Isobel Chihuahua'.
And, at the time of writing, most Jellycats - typically priced between £12 and £200 - are out of stock.
Nearly three decades since Jellycat started making its signature toys, videos of women finding, unboxing, and cherishing their pricey plushies - available in a dizzying array of shapes, characters, and objects - are flooding TikTok
Over the past two years, the popularity of Jellycats has surged among millennials and GenZ buyers, with Glimpse estimating a whopping 135 per cent increase in interest about the brand in 2024.
According to Jellycat's latest filing with Companies House, revenue rose 37 per cent to £200 million in the 12 months to 31 December 2023 - with pre-tax profit up 24 per cent to £67 million.
In addition to the high quality of its luxury products, Jellycat's market value has also been bolstered by its celebrity clientele - including Princess Charlotte, who is the proud owner of a Fuddlewuddle dog, Kylie Jenner, who endorsed the brand and its line of 'Vivacious' vegetable toys in 2020, and 'big, big Jellycat customer' Bill Nighy.
The surge in demand has translated into crazed auctions on resale websites like eBay with where resellers list rare, limited-edition plushies that have since been retired by the toymaker for eyewatering sums running into the thousands.
The brand's limited edition, three-piece Harrod's collaboration, comprising the Cheryl Cherry Cake, Seb Teacup and Vicky Teapot, is advertised for £239.99 'or the best offer' on the site at the time of writing.
The three-tiered cake plushie originally retailed for £44.95, according to London World, and quickly went out of stock.
A special edition of one of Jellycat's most popular releases, the Bashful Bunny, has been listed for £2,350.
As a justification for the extortionate price tag, its advertiser writes: 'Dixie was part of the 2014 'Safari sensation' limited edition and now it is a retired highly desired collectable. Never been played with it, only displayed.
'The bunny itself is in excellent condition and still has both the original paper tags attached to it's ears. Extremely rare and hard to find in this condition.'
'This Jellycat was £490,' one TikTok creator, who goes by the name @meggoldberger, tells her followers in a video titled 'The most expensive Jellycat I've bought (to date)' - indicating she has no plans to stop collecting rare Jellycats.
'It was originally listed at £490, including postage and packaging,' she continues, while holding a toy wrapped in a pink cover.
The creator then reveals how she waited for the seller to drop the price to £1430 until she could afford her latest Jellycat, before adding she paid for it using her earnings on Vinted - the internet's favourite online 'thrift shop'.
She finally unveils her latest acquisition as the 'Amuseable Ice Cream' Jellycat 'in size huge' that features a squishy waffle cone and and an 'ice cream hat' layered with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavours.
One Jellycat collector told The Telegraph 'these scalping prices are a joke', while commenting on resellers buying up Jellycat stock to capitalise on the brand's massive popularity.
Speaking to the newspaper, Kent-based toy store owner Nicola Kent said: 'Jellycat keeps supply really tight as well, and die-hard fans know that if they don't buy lines as they launch, they may not get a second chance.
'Sadly, there are customers who take advantage of the scarcity and buy to resell at massively inflated prices on auction sites.'
A range of Jellycats on display
The burgeoning resale market for Jellycats is 'rubbing people a lot of people up the wrong way', an enthusiast added - speaking specifically about how quickly the Harrod's Cheryl Cherry Cake disappeared from shelves following its launch.
The Times' Money Mentor recently evaluated whether Jellycats are worth investing in, with the outlet noting that 'their popularity as a collector's item means that if you pick the right toy – and treat it well – you could end up selling them for far more than you bought them for'.
Much like the Beanie Babies - a kid's toy that found popularity among people of all ages - with some variants like the Princess Diana bear beanie baby and the cockatoo beanie baby named Ty earning six-figure price tags on auction sites.
In an interview with The Sun, toy and games expert Peter Jenkinson picked out the Jellycats he thinks will see the greatest return-on-investment in the years to come.
He chose the Snowdragon, Sandcastle, Fish and Chips, and the Bartholomew Bear Backpack as the designs most likely to fetch a decent return, adding: 'It's always best to keep on the tag if you want to maintain any value.'
But for a large number of the brand's grown-up consumers, a Jellycat is so much more than just a piggybank.
For some, it is a source of comfort or an antidote to their anxieties, while other grown-ups seek out high-quality stuffed toys for their aesthetic value.
Dorset-based collector Nell Richards, 40, who owns 23 Jellycats, told The Guardian she suffers from severe anxiety after getting out of an abusive relationship.
The brand's limited edition, three-piece Harrod's collaboration, comprising the Cheryl Cherry Cake, Seb Teacup and Vicky Teapot, is advertised for £239.99 'or the best offer' on the site at the time of writing
Richards, who has been left paralysed on one side after having two strokes, told the newspaper: 'They help with my anxiety. If I'm anxious, I'll sit on my bed with them. I like stroking the rabbit's ears - it takes the edge off things.'
Reflecting on their appeal in a recent article, the Financial Times' columnist and owner of 100 Jellycats, Freya Rogers wrote: 'It seems that no matter the location, Jellycat exudes a sort of magic that keeps us coming back for more; could that magic lie in something as simple as joy?'
Others have suggested the newfound popularity of the Jellycat is down to 'good quality, super soft fur, and pleasing designs'.
One Reddit user also highlighted the growing Jellycat community as another big draw, writing: 'I love being part of it and sharing my thoughts, photos with people. Seeing their joy.'
Others have taken to X, formerly called Twitter, to express their love of the toys.
One said: 'Girlhood is looking at the Jellycat website together.'
A second added: 'For therapy I will scroll through the entire Jellycat website and screenshot the ones I like.'
A third wrote: 'cannot stop thinking about starting a Jellycat collection.'
A fourth said: 'Me needing the Jellycat burger is about the only thing I am sure of in life atm.'