By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 06:55 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:18 EST, 18 July 2013 . A piece of cake from the Queen's 1947 wedding to the Duke of Edinburgh has been put up for sale for £1,200. TV antiques dealer Gordon Watson is offering a chance to own the incredibly well-preserved, 66-year-old portion of the Queen’s wedding cake. The slice of alcohol-filled fruit cake was found by a charity worker after it lay forgotten in a filing cabinet for decades. Well-preserved: This 66-year-old portion of the Queen's wedding cake will be auctioned for around for £1,200. It was forgotten for decades and re-discovered in 2011 . Commonwealth cake: The enormous cake earned the nickname the 10,000 mile wedding cake because its ingredients were donated by the Australian Girl Guides and the rum and brandy came from South Africa . The lavish 9ft, four-tier wedding cake was split between the 2,000 guests at the wedding of Queen - then Princess Elizabeth - and Philip Mountbatten. The enormous cake earned the nickname the 10,000 mile wedding cake because its ingredients were donated by the Australian Girl Guides and the rum and brandy came from South Africa. Prince Philip cut the cake using his ceremonial sword and it was then served to guests at their reception at Buckingham Palace. One layer was kept for the christening of Prince Charles a year later and another was sent back to Australia by way of thanks. Watson, one of the world’s top dealers, snapped up the cake on Channel 4 programme Four Rooms in 2011 for £1,100. He has put the slice back on the market as part of an ‘antiques clear-out’. He said: 'Here was this manky old bit of fruit cake but it intrigued me. Joy: Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony. The bridesmaids were Princess Margaret Rose (left) and Lady Mary Cambridge (second from left) The ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people around the world . 'At the time it was made England was still under rationing but here was this beautiful princess marrying her beloved in a fairytale wedding. 'It got me thinking that this mouldy old slice of cake is symbolic of everything we fought for in the war and the hardships the country went through. 'In order to keep buying I have to keep selling so every few years I have a clear-out. The official wedding photograph. Britain was still under rationing at the time, and Princess Elizabeth still required coupons to buy the material for her gown . 'This sale is where this remarkable slice of cake belongs.' The fruit slice is presented in its original Buckingham Palace case, measuring 3.5 inches by 7.5 inches, dated November 20, 1947. It also comes with a compliments slip reading: ‘With the best wishes of Their Royal Highnesses The Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh’. Originally it had been given to CH Spackman, one of the couple’s guards of honour, following the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. After Mr Spackman died, it was given to the Princess Alice Hospice, in Esher, Surrey, in the 1990s by a supporter in the hope that it could be auctioned to raise funds. However, it lay in the drawer of a filing cabinet until charity worker Anna Fiddimore found it when she was sorting out the archives for the hospice’s 25th anniversary. Charlotte George, from auctioneers Christie’s, said: 'It is slightly peculiar but this auction is a great chance to own a slice of history. 'The cake was made using rum and brandy, which would explain how it has lasted so well. 'Remarkably, it is still in one piece, wrapped in baking parchment. I wouldn’t recommend eating it - but as a collector’s item it is fantastic.' The auction is being held at Christie’s in London on September 5. The Royal wedding took place on November 20 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth first met Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in 1934, at the wedding of Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, and again in 1937. Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of his mother's British family. On the morning of her wedding, as Princess Elizabeth was getting dressed at Buckingham Palace before leaving for Westminster Abbey, her tiara snapped. Luckily the court jeweller was standing by in case of emergency. The jeweller was rushed to his work room by a police escort. For her wedding dress she still required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown, designed by Norman Hartnell. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher and the Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett. The ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people around the world. Elizabeth and Philip then proceeded to Buckingham Palace, where a breakfast was held at the Ball Supper-room. The couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from around the world and around 10,000 telegrams of congratulations.
Well-preserved cake from Queen's 1947 wedding day up for £1,200 .
It had lain forgotten in a draw until a charity worker discovered it in 2011 .
It comes in it's original box and has a message from the royal couple .
'I wouldn't recommend eating it,' said auctioneer .
By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 06:55 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:18 EST, 18 July 2013 . A piece of cake from the Queen's 1947 wedding to the Duke of Edinburgh has been put up for sale for £1,200. TV antiques dealer Gordon Watson is offering a chance to own the incredibly well-preserved, 66-year-old portion of the Queen’s wedding cake. The slice of alcohol-filled fruit cake was found by a charity worker after it lay forgotten in a filing cabinet for decades. Well-preserved: This 66-year-old portion of the Queen's wedding cake will be auctioned for around for £1,200. It was forgotten for decades and re-discovered in 2011 . Commonwealth cake: The enormous cake earned the nickname the 10,000 mile wedding cake because its ingredients were donated by the Australian Girl Guides and the rum and brandy came from South Africa . The lavish 9ft, four-tier wedding cake was split between the 2,000 guests at the wedding of Queen - then Princess Elizabeth - and Philip Mountbatten. The enormous cake earned the nickname the 10,000 mile wedding cake because its ingredients were donated by the Australian Girl Guides and the rum and brandy came from South Africa. Prince Philip cut the cake using his ceremonial sword and it was then served to guests at their reception at Buckingham Palace. One layer was kept for the christening of Prince Charles a year later and another was sent back to Australia by way of thanks. Watson, one of the world’s top dealers, snapped up the cake on Channel 4 programme Four Rooms in 2011 for £1,100. He has put the slice back on the market as part of an ‘antiques clear-out’. He said: 'Here was this manky old bit of fruit cake but it intrigued me. Joy: Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony. The bridesmaids were Princess Margaret Rose (left) and Lady Mary Cambridge (second from left) The ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people around the world . 'At the time it was made England was still under rationing but here was this beautiful princess marrying her beloved in a fairytale wedding. 'It got me thinking that this mouldy old slice of cake is symbolic of everything we fought for in the war and the hardships the country went through. 'In order to keep buying I have to keep selling so every few years I have a clear-out. The official wedding photograph. Britain was still under rationing at the time, and Princess Elizabeth still required coupons to buy the material for her gown . 'This sale is where this remarkable slice of cake belongs.' The fruit slice is presented in its original Buckingham Palace case, measuring 3.5 inches by 7.5 inches, dated November 20, 1947. It also comes with a compliments slip reading: ‘With the best wishes of Their Royal Highnesses The Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh’. Originally it had been given to CH Spackman, one of the couple’s guards of honour, following the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. After Mr Spackman died, it was given to the Princess Alice Hospice, in Esher, Surrey, in the 1990s by a supporter in the hope that it could be auctioned to raise funds. However, it lay in the drawer of a filing cabinet until charity worker Anna Fiddimore found it when she was sorting out the archives for the hospice’s 25th anniversary. Charlotte George, from auctioneers Christie’s, said: 'It is slightly peculiar but this auction is a great chance to own a slice of history. 'The cake was made using rum and brandy, which would explain how it has lasted so well. 'Remarkably, it is still in one piece, wrapped in baking parchment. I wouldn’t recommend eating it - but as a collector’s item it is fantastic.' The auction is being held at Christie’s in London on September 5. The Royal wedding took place on November 20 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth first met Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in 1934, at the wedding of Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, and again in 1937. Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, taking the surname of his mother's British family. On the morning of her wedding, as Princess Elizabeth was getting dressed at Buckingham Palace before leaving for Westminster Abbey, her tiara snapped. Luckily the court jeweller was standing by in case of emergency. The jeweller was rushed to his work room by a police escort. For her wedding dress she still required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown, designed by Norman Hartnell. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher and the Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett. The ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC radio to 200 million people around the world. Elizabeth and Philip then proceeded to Buckingham Palace, where a breakfast was held at the Ball Supper-room. The couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from around the world and around 10,000 telegrams of congratulations.
piece of cake from the Queen's 1947 wedding to lay forgotten in a filing cabinet for decades. for £1,200. It was forgotten for decades and slice is presented in its original Buckingham until charity worker Anna Fiddimore found it when I wouldn’t recommend eating it - but as a