Royals What Surprising Gift Did Queen Elizabeth Give Pope Francis? Her Majesty presented His Holiness with a special item from Balmoral, among other food and drink, at their meeting on Thursday By Sheila Cosgrove Baylis Sheila Cosgrove Baylis Sheila Baylis is Senior News Editor for PEOPLE's Health vertical; she contributes to print features and directs the digital Health team on stories ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to body image and women's health. She has a Master's Degree in Gender Studies. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 3, 2014 05:00 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Arthur Edwards/The Sun/AP What do you give to the head of the Roman Catholic Church? Queen Elizabeth gifted Pope Francis with a bottle of whisky from Balmoral, along with a basket of jams and other drinks produced on the royal family’s estate, ABC News reports. Her Majesty and His Holiness exchanged gifts during a brief, informal visit by the Queen to the Vatican Thursday. The trip marks the first time that the two have met, and Queen Elizabeth was accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip. For his part, the pontiff gave the queen a gift for her great-grandson, Prince George, who is about to embark on his first trip overseas to Australia and New Zealand. In honor of George’s travels, Pope Francis chose a precious stone globe with a cross decoration. He also gave the queen an antique parchment from 1679 with a message that translates to “to the city and the word,” and which the pope traditionally delivers at Christmas and during Easter.