A rare slice of wedding cake from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s 1947 wedding was recently auctioned for £2,200. Discovered in a suitcase under a bed, the fruitcake slice was part of the original 9-foot cake served to 2,000 guests. Princess Elizabeth had gifted it to Marion Polson, a housekeeper at Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse, in appreciation of her gift of a dessert service to the royal couple.
“This is a little time capsule,” remarked James Grinter from Reeman Dansie, the Colchester-based auction house. Expected to bring in £500, the slice was ultimately purchased by a phone bidder from China.
Ms. Polson had preserved the cake in its original presentation box, along with a thank-you letter from the Queen, dated November 1947. In the note, the Queen expressed gratitude for the “delightful” wedding gift. The cake, originally a grand, alcohol-infused four-tier design, was created during a period of post-war rationing.
According to Grinter, the cake is remarkable because it remains “in its completeness,” which is rare for memorabilia of this kind. However, he added, “I don’t think I’d want to eat it.”
Ms. Polson’s family, based in Scotland, reached out to Reeman Dansie auctioneers earlier this year to arrange the sale of the cake slice, which had been stored among her belongings after her passing in the 1980s. Given the historical significance, the auction attracted considerable interest, ultimately achieving more than four times its expected price.
The grand wedding cake, known for its impressive height and intricate design, was a remarkable luxury during the post-war rationing era. Made with ingredients sourced globally as a gesture of goodwill, the cake symbolized a hopeful start to the royal couple’s life together. Photos of the cake reveal an elaborate structure that took up substantial space, emphasizing the grandeur of the royal celebration amid challenging times.
Mr. Grinter noted that while the cake slice remains largely intact, it has naturally aged over the decades. “It’s an artifact of its time,” he said, acknowledging its sentimental and historical value rather than culinary appeal. The cake’s preservation, complete with its original box and royal letter, serves as a unique glimpse into a monumental event from Britain’s history—a nostalgic link to the past that collectors find increasingly valuable.
With this sale, Ms. Polson’s token of royal appreciation has entered the realm of collectors’ items, cherished not just as a keepsake from a royal wedding but as a piece of British heritage bridging multiple generations.
