Queen’s official gifts included a painting of a swimming pig and a bottle of gin

A pop-up book, a painting of a swimming pig and a bottle of gin were among the official gifts given to the Queen last year.

Records released by Buckingham Palace showed the monarch received 72 official presents in 2019.

President Borut Pahor of Slovenia tuned into the Queen's love of horses and presented her with a 24-carat gold-plated horse comb.

The pop-up book was sent through the post by Chinese President Xi Jinping and its subject was the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

The governor-general of The Bahamas presented the monarch with a painting of a swimming pig, while the Regiment de la Chaudiere of Canada gave her a boxed bottle of gin and two glasses.

Swimming pigs live on Big Major Cay, an uninhabited island in the Bahamas, and learnt how to paddle out to passing boats to receive food.

The Queen also received three wood carvings of pygmy hippos from the ambassador of Liberia, a woven raffia hat from the high commissioner for Lesotho, and a decorative felt rug from the Kyrgyz Republic's ambassador.

GCHQ gave the monarch a small pin badge marking its centenary, presented in a 3D printed box with a cypher code on the perspex lid, etched with "Thank you, Ma'am" in Hex code, following the Queen's visit to Watergate House in February last year.

US President Donald Trump's presents during his state visit to the UK were announced at the time of his stay, and included a Tiffany poppy brooch for the Queen and a personalised Air Force One jacket for the Duke of Edinburgh.

Official gifts can be worn and used, but are not considered the royals' personal property. The royals do not pay tax on them.

They can eat any food they are given and perishable official gifts with a value less than £150 can be given to charity or staff.

Gifts cannot be sold or exchanged and eventually become part of the Royal Collection, which is held in trust by the Queen for her successors and the nation.

The rules on official presents were tightened following the Peat inquiry in 2003 into the sale of royal gifts and the running of St James's Palace.