A slice of cake from the Prince and Princess of Wales's wedding cake has sold for £1,850 at auction - 40 years after the famous nuptials took place.
A slice of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding cake has fetched £1,850 at auction.
The generous slice is from one of 23 official wedding cakes the royal couple served at their wedding more than 40 years ago.
It was initially expected to fetch between £300 and £500 but was met with a flurry of bidding from across the world.
An internet buyer from Leeds secured the slice for £1,850.
Auctioneers have advised the buyer not to eat the slice.
It features a marzipan base and a sugared onlay of the royal coat-of-arms coloured in gold, red, blue and silver.
The slice was sold to Moya Smith, a member of the Queen Mother’s household at Clarence House, in 2008. She preserved the topping with cling film and an old floral cake tin, labelled: “Handle with Care – Prince Charles & Princess Diane’s (sic) Wedding Cake”, signed and dated 29/7/81.
Mrs Smith’s family sold the cake to a collector in 2008 before it came up again for auction.
The cake’s auction coincides with what would have been their 40th wedding anniversary on 29 July.
It went under the hammer at Dominic Winter Auctioneers in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on Wednesday afternoon.
Speaking after the sale, auctioneer and royal memorabilia specialist Chris Albury from Dominic Winter Auctioneers said: “We were amazed at the numbers of people wanting to bid on this large and unique piece of royal cake icing.
“It seemed to get far more attention than when we sold it with a Charles & Diana thank you letter 13 years ago.
“There were lots of inquiries from bidders, mostly in the UK, USA and several countries in the Middle East.
“It was bought by an internet bidder in Leeds.
“As yet we haven’t had a chance to speak to them to get a reaction or ask why they bought it, but it seems that this was an irresistible piece of royal memorabilia history for many.”
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer married in St Paul’s Cathedral on 29 July 1981. They later separated in 1992, finally divorcing in 1996.
Some 22 other wedding cakes were supplied by numerous manufacturers in addition to their main official five-tier creation.
Other items that went under the hammer include an order of service, ceremonial details and a royal wedding breakfast programme.
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