At just seven years old, India Hicks received an unusual Christmas present from her godfather, then-Prince Charles: a delicate china gravy boat. This gift marked the start of an annual tradition that continued for years, eventually providing her with a complete dinner service by her twenties.
A Tradition of Thoughtful Crockery
India Hicks, now a 58-year-old designer and former model, granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten of Burma and bridesmaid at the wedding of Charles and Princess Diana, described the ongoing gifts during an appearance on the Rosebud podcast. Each year, a cardboard box arrived from the renowned tableware firm Thomas Goode, containing items like saucers, gravy dishes, or cups.
“Every year, a cardboard box would arrive from the royal maker, Goode, wasn’t it? And in it would be a saucer or a gravy dish or a cup,” Hicks recounted.
From Confusion to Appreciation
As a child, Hicks found the presents perplexing. “It was very confusing to have a gravy dish for Christmas” at age seven, she noted. However, she now praises the foresight behind the collection. “It was extraordinary as a 27-year-old or a 37-year-old to have a complete dining set,” she added.
Hicks highlighted the practicality of the gifts: “What a useful, brilliant present. Instead of some plastic toy that you were given at seven that you’ve no idea where it’s gone.”
Reflecting on her own role as a godparent to several children, she wondered, “Can I live up to that brilliant thinking ahead of what someone would like later in life?”
Established in 1827 in Mayfair, Thomas Goode specializes in premium china, silverware, and glass from leading manufacturers like Spode and Wedgwood, making it a fitting source for such regal tableware.
