Seventy years after the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on November 20, 1947, a piece of their wedding cake has been sold at auction for over £2,200 (approximately $2,837). The cake slice was purchased by a buyer in China.
The fruitcake slice was discovered in a suitcase beneath a bed, 77 years after the queen’s nuptials. It was originally gifted to Marion Polson, who served as a housekeeper at Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse from 1931 to 1969. The slice was found by Polson’s family after her passing in the 1980s, still stored in its original suitcase.
A Personal Note from the Queen
Along with the cake, Elizabeth, then just 21 years old, included a personal letter to Polson, expressing her gratitude for a “delightful wedding present.” In the letter, dated November 1947, Elizabeth wrote, “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 coloring will, I know, be greatly admired by all who see it.”
The queen continued, “This is a present which we shall use constantly, and whenever we do we shall think of the kindness and good wishes for our happiness which it represents. Your generosity will also enable us to buy at leisure something else which we shall need, for which we send you our grateful thanks in advance.”
A Lasting Partnership
Following their wedding in November 1947, Elizabeth and Philip remained together until their deaths, which occurred in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Philip passed away first in April 2021 at the age of 99, preceding Elizabeth’s death in September 2022 at the age of 96.
