Queen Elizabeth II got married to Prince Philip on 20 November in 1947 at a grand wedding ceremony. As befitted of a royal wedding, the ceremony had all elements including a four-tier wedding cake, measuring 9ft in height. Now, you must be wondering why we are talking about this. The reason Queen Elizabeth II’s marriage cake is being discussed is that a slice of that cake has fetched a shocking price of £2,200, which is nearly Rs 2 lakh in Indian currency, at an auction under Reeman Dansie for a Scottish family in Polson, said reports.
As per reports, the bid was placed by a buyer based in China. The cake, a traditional fruit cake, was initially estimated to fetch £500 but far exceeded expectations.
The cake was reportedly found in its original presentation box under a bed in a suitcase 77 years after it was served at the royal wedding. Around 2,000 guests were served the original cake s at the lavish ceremony held on 20 November 1947.
The cake slice, preserved in its original presentation box, was uncovered under a bed in a suitcase 77 years after it was served at the royal wedding, according to the news report. Measuring 9ft (2.7m) in height, the original cake was served to over 2,000 guests at the lavish ceremony held on 20th November 1947.
The slice was gifted by then-Princess Elizabeth to Marion Polson, the housekeeper at The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh from 1931 to 1969, as a token of gratitude for a “delightful” dessert service Polson gifted the royal couple. The cake slice was accompanied by a letter of thanks from the Queen, dated November 1947, in which the Queen expressed her gratitude, stating, “My husband and I are deeply touched to know that you shared in giving us such a delightful wedding present. We are both enchanted with the dessert service; the different flowers and the beautiful colouring will, I know, be greatly admired by all who see it.”
Polson preserved the cake until her death in the 1980s. Unbeknown to her family members, the cake slice got stored away with other personal belongings.
However, the cake slice is no longer suitable for consumption due to the time gap. But, it remains in good condition for display.
The enormous four-tier wedding cake, described as “magnificent” and “enormous,” was laced with alcohol to enhance preservation—a particularly significant feat during a time of post-war rationing in Britain.
