Platinum-priced jubilee souvenirs for sale
From a £290 Radley bag to £58 biscuits ... some of the more regal gifts on sale to mark the Queen’s big day
A TIN of Quality Street chocolates was what many royal fans bought to celebrate the Queen’s first 25 years on the throne back in the 1970s.
Complete with a portrait of Her Majesty on the lid, and red crowns on a purple background around the bowl, the sweets were the highlight of souvenirs produced to mark the occasion in 1977.
The official memorabilia released for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, however, caters to more regal budgets.
A Radley zip-top bag costs £289, with not so much as a toffee penny inside.
A £209 crossbody bag is also on offer from the Royal Collection Trust, which has been the official curator of souvenirs since 1993.
For those with a sweet tooth looking for a Quality Street upgrade, boxes of luxury, hand-iced biscuits are on sale for £58, while corgi-shaped treats are £25. Meanwhile, a £20 Platinum Jubilee T-shirt, designed by Charlie Mackesy, author of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse, features the boy and the mole with a heart-shaped Union Flag and “Thank you, Ma’am” imprinted.
A Makebox floral Union Flag embroidery kit, costing £26.99, forms part of a new Jubilee-inspired craft range, while the emblem collection features various products bearing the design of competition-winner Edward Roberts, 19, a graphic design student.
Other products on offer include a £12.95 purple umbrella, a £9.95 water bottle, a £16 pair of purple socks and a wooden spoon costing £4.95.
Each item features the design of a continuous line drawing, symbolising the Queen’s long reign, while the shade of purple reflects Her Majesty’s Robe of Estate, worn at her coronation in 1953.
The font used for the lettering is Perpetua, which means “forever” and imitates the font style that appeared on the order of service at the coronation.
There are still a few concessions to tradition, however. The Machin Collection is inspired by Arnold Machin’s profile portraits of the Queen that has featured on postage stamps since 1967. It includes a tea towel, tray and key ring.
The proliferation of Royal paraphernalia can be traced back to the 1840 wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, when it seems the penchant for mass-produced knick-knacks took off.
When Queen Elizabeth was crowned in 1953, the “approved souvenir programme” was sold for two shillings and sixpence. It included a poem from John Masefield, the poet laureate, a procession map, a full order of service for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, as well as a handy genealogy of the monarch, tracing the royal lineage back to William the Conqueror.
The key to memorabilia that stands the test of time is exclusivity. Perhaps the best examples are the red, gilded chairs designed by Lord Snowdon for Prince Charles’s investiture as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.
Only 4,600 were made, having been created specifically for use during the ceremony. Afterwards, they were dismantled and flat-packed to be sold for just £12. Surviving examples can sell for thousands. A pair sold at auction in 2020 for £43,750.
For the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Royal Collection offered items including a £39 tankard, £49 teacup and saucer and £35 plate.
Modern tastes are reflected in more recent souvenirs. Eco-conscious collectors are catered for with memorabilia for the Queen’s Green Canopy programme, a nationwide tree-planting initiative to mark the jubilee .
Products crafted using sustainably farmed cotton and deadstock leather include a £6.50 jute bag, £15 apron and £49 picnic blanket.
For some, tradition will always win. The Duchess of Cornwall recently picked up a chipped Silver Jubilee mug during a trip to a charity shop – and it only set her back £1.50.