Princess Diana's wedding cake sold for charity

6:30am Friday 5th September 2008

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A slice of Princess Diana’s wedding cake found in a Furzedown attic fetched over £1,000 at an auction on Tuesday.

Former royal servant, Moyra Smith, kept it faithfully for 27 years until her death in February at the age of 78, when family decided to give it a good home.

Half the money raised will go to local charity the Furzedown Project, where she and her husband Don, 76, were volunteers.

Mr Smith said: “It may not taste as good, but I can assure you that it is just as beautiful as the day Moira wrapped it up in cling film at took it home.”

The 7in by 8in slice is one of the largest surviving pieces, and despite some cracking, the coat of arms and lace design is perfectly intact.

A personal letter thanking Mrs Smith for her contribution to the royal household signed by Diana accompanied the slice, which came from the top tier of the cake after the 1981 wedding.

Mrs Smith had a happy five years at Clarence House, and the Queen Mother would often ask after her daughter Carolyn, now 48, who at the time was training to be a dancer.

The cake was expected to go for between £3,000 and £20,000 at Dominic Winter Book Auctions in Wiltshire, but in the end it fetched just £1,200.

It was sold to an unnamed private collector from Glouchestershire, who bid by telephone for three minutes before securing the deal.

Mr Smith, a retired jeweller, said: “I’m not really worried about the money. My wife’s memory will be all over the world now because this has been in all the newspapers. I’m so happy.”

The money will go towards helping Mr Smith run his minibus at the Furzedown Project on Moyser Road, which helps older people get access to social activities and outings.

Mrs Smith used to run a non-for-profit shop for the charity, where she also taught ballroom dancing and made so many friends that her funeral was packed.

Mr Smith said: “The project was her life. She was ill, but no matter how she felt she came in. She loved chatting to everybody, and she was so well liked.”