A slice of cake from the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate has been put up for sale, offering collectors a unique piece of royal history. The 15-year-old fruit cake, measuring three inches by two inches, remains wrapped in paper and preserved in its commemorative tin inscribed with 'William and Catherine, April 29, 2011'.
Preserved Mementos from a Royal Day
The cake slice was kept by Kate’s friend Juli Kavanagh, who also retained other wedding day items and two handwritten cards from the Princess of Wales. One card, dated 2017, was written by Kate on behalf of her eldest son, Prince George, who was then just four years old. The card thanks Judi for a large T-Rex toy that George loved, which 'stands guard outside my bedroom'. It reads: 'Thank you so much for my very cool birthday present. I love the huge T-Rex and I keep it outside my bedroom to stand guard...with love, George x.'
Auction Details
The unique royal mementos will go under the hammer at London-based Forum Auctions on May 28. Rupert Powell, a specialist at Forum Auctions, said: 'Material relating to the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton captures a defining moment in modern royal history — an event watched by millions around the world and already viewed with considerable nostalgia. Ephemera and commemorative pieces connected to the 2011 Royal Wedding continue to attract strong interest from collectors, particularly where provenance, rarity, and condition combine to create a tangible link to such a significant national occasion.'
The Wedding Cake Design
Designed by Fiona Cairns, the wedding cake for William and Kate’s wedding was a 3ft tall, eight-tiered fruit cake decorated with super paste flowers, weighing a whopping 220lbs. According to People magazine, the garlands around the middle of the cake were chosen to match the details of the room where it was displayed: the Picture Gallery in Buckingham Palace. Pastry chef Fiona Cairns told the publication that William and Kate’s wedding cake 'broke with tradition' and that the task of making it was 'very stressful.'
'The brief came from Kate, and she was very specific,' Cairns said. 'The theme of the wedding was to be very classical, very imaginative and stylish. Where William and Kate’s cake broke with tradition was that she made it very clear she didn’t want a cake as tall as some of the previous royal wedding cakes.' She added: 'There was a lot to work out,' noting that she and her team were sworn to secrecy about the project. 'When such a big thing happens, you want to share it with your friends and family, but we couldn’t. We couldn’t tell our children!'
The cake lasted well beyond the 2011 wedding reception, with pieces of it even being served seven years later at the 2018 christening of Prince Louis.
