Royal Wedding Collectibles

Kate Middleton and Prince William will marry at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011.

As the world prepares for the royal nuptials, royal watchers will be eyeing a wide range of collectibles.

Which royal collectibles should you buy? I always advise people to collect objects that chronicle a historic event or relate to historic figures. It has been proven that in the market for art and antiques these historic and genuine objects will hold their value long term. Quality and authentic objects relating to a royal wedding, albeit the first of this century, certainly fit the bill.

Collecting the Queen

Reports indicate that the Lord Chamberlain, Earl Peel wrote in a staff memo recently that "We want (royal wedding) items that are permanent and significant." For the Kate/William royal wedding, Queen Elizabeth II and her staff are proponents of such regal wedding collectibles as porcelain pillboxes and lion head vases of fine china by Royal Worcester, monogrammed tea towels, and commemorative cups that highlight the future king and his new bride. These are going to be, long term, the sought after collectibles. So, these are the objects to acquire now. The history of royal collectibles ranges from Queen Victoria’s diamond tiara, George V coronation china, Queen Elizabeth II monogrammed silver tea service, and of course, Prince Charles and Princess Diana royal wedding porcelain boxes.

Cuckoo Collectibles

Buckingham Palace prefers classic royal wedding souvenirs over the mass produced William and Kate wedding dolls and nic nacs featuring images of the couple, many of which are coming out of China. Some of the more jovial royal collectibles include royal condoms, royal wedding sick (vomit) bags for all the other women who aren’t marrying the world’s #1 bachelor, and “Waity Katie” nail polish.

Kate enjoyed photography and painting while at university. So, there must be a college roommate somewhere poised to sell one of Kate’s college era oil paintings or photos. Collectibles will emerge in the oddest of places. With the internet, a sales arena not available when Princess Diana wed in 1981, the world will have no trouble acquiring a wide variety of royal collectibles relating to Prince William and his bride.

Don’t forget that William’s wedding has been a long awaited day for a generation of young people. With the wedding day upon us, now is the best time to sell off royal collectibles as the media attention around the royal family will be incomparable for decades to come. Now is the time to sell off that aging Princess Diana commemorative wedding doll that will never be worth as much money as it will on April 29. This worldwide attention will flood the market with royal collectibles and also encourage new collectors to buy all things royal. And, by the time the honeymoon is over, values for the royal collectibles will plummet. It’s all about timing, you know.

Unexpected but Valuable

For the wedding of William and Kate, there are a few collectibles that I think will travel under the radar. For instance, the University of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland will see an increase in sales of items relating to the special place where the royal couple met in 2001 and fell in love. The couple graduated from the famous school in June 2005. Don’t be surprised to see lots of people donning St. Andrews t-shirts and bags or selling off carpet remnants from the couple’s famous campus apartment.

What about the Gown?

Also, there may be a spike in objects made by Alexander McQueen. The famous fashion house has been, as many speculate but no one confirms, selected to design Kate’s royal wedding gown. The Palace remains silent about Kate’s choice of her designer for her wedding gown stating that, like most brides, Kate prefers to keep her wedding dress a secret until the wedding day. Unlike the fairytale gown of silk taffeta, lace, embroidery, and pearls worn by Princess Diana at her 1981 wedding, many believe Kate’s dress will be more age-appropriate than Diana’s juvenile gown. Kate’s dress is expected to be highly sophisticated and fashion-forward in a traditional manner.

I wish congratulations to the royal couple and happy hunting to all the rest of you royal collectors.

Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori presents antique appraisal events nationwide. As seen on NBC’s The Tonight Show, Lifetime TV network, and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, watch Dr. Lori on the national TV morning show, Daytime weekdays. Visit DrLoriV.com, Facebook.com/DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.