A slice of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s wedding cake, originally gifted in 1947, recently sold at auction for $4,751—far above its expected price of $1097.
The fruit cake, which was stored under a bed in a suitcase for 77 years, belonged to Marion Polson, a housekeeper at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, who received it as a gift from the then-Princess Elizabeth.
The cake, still in its original presentation box, came with a letter from the Queen, thanking Ms. Polson for a wedding gift of a dessert set. Although the cake was not in edible condition, it’s considered a rare piece of history, said James Grinter of the auction house Reeman Dansie. The four-tier cake, laced with alcohol and measuring nine feet tall, was famously grand, especially during a time of post-war rationing.
The auction drew international interest, with a bidder from China winning the slice. Grinter called the cake a “time capsule,” noting that Ms. Polson’s piece was the first fully intact slice ever sold. Though its taste might be questionable today, the cake is celebrated as a magnificent relic of royal history.
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