This slice of alcoholic fruitcake was one of 2,000 handed out to guests at the wedding reception of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A “very rare” slice of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip's wedding cake has been sold at auction for R50,000. A fruitcake hidden for 77 years was discovered in a suitcase under a bed.
The slice of cake, part of the original 2.7m dessert, was given to Marion Polson by then-Princess Elizabeth. Polson worked as a housekeeper at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh from 1931 to 1969.
James Grinter, of Lehman Dancy Auction House in Colchester, called it “a real little find, a glorious cake time capsule”. It was expected to sell for around R11,000, but the bid was won by a Chinese bidder over the phone, the BBC reported.
The Queen's wedding thank you cake is rediscovered decades later
Polson was given a piece of cake as a thank you for giving the newlyweds a “fun” dessert set.
The alcoholic fruitcake was one of 2,000 given out to guests at a wedding reception at Buckingham Palace on November 20, 1947, The Times reported.
Polson kept it until his death in the 1980s. It was then stored under the bed along with some of her belongings.
The cake was still in its original presentation box and was accompanied by a letter from the late Queen dated November 1947.
“My husband and I are deeply moved to learn that you have given us such a wonderful wedding gift.
“We are both fascinated by the dessert service. The variety of flowers and beautiful colors will be greatly admired by all who see it,” Mail Online reported.
10,000 miles of sweetness
The Royal Wedding Cake, created by the head baker at McVitie's (then known as McVitie & Price), was no ordinary dessert.
This giant fruitcake, weighing 226 kilograms, was made from ingredients flown in from South Africa and Australia as food rationing continued after the war. It became known as the “10,000 Mile Cake” due to the use of ingredients from far away.
Prince Philip cut the cake with a ceremonial sword, yielding 2,000 slices for his guests. Hundreds more pieces, along with handwritten notes, were sent to charities and organizations around the world.
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