Tankards, tea towels, and cuddly corgis help boost Royal Collection sales

Official souvenirs for royal celebrations have boosted sales for the Royal Collection Trust.

Here’s a look at some of the ranges which helped towards the record £21.7 million in retail income for the collection last year.

– The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding china

Cornflower blue with white detailing, Harry and Meghan’s official commemorative china featured a gold monogram of the couple’s initials side by side, tied together with a white ribbon and surmounted by Harry’s coronet.

The decorative border on each piece was inspired by the couple’s wedding venue.

It was based on the stylised tree ironwork of the 13th century Gilebertus door of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where the couple married in May 2018.

The fine bone china range included a miniature coffee mug which cost £19.95, a standard coffee mug for £25, a pillbox at £35, a tankard for £39 and a plate at £49.

Some items are still available including the mug, but many – such as a £35 royal wedding candle with “a rich floral fragrance of white lilies, orange blossoms, neroli, tuberose, violets and lily of the valley on a delicate base of vanilla and musk” – have sold out.

– Prince Louis’s birth

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child was welcomed with china decorated with gold ribbons, silver pompoms and a coronet-inspired pattern.

The range featured a lion cub and unicorn inspired by the Royal Arms and included a pillbox costing £35, a tankard for £39 and a plate priced at £49.

– Eugenie’s wedding range

Princess Eugenie is not a senior royal, but the glittering wedding of the Queen’s granddaughter to Jack Brooksbank was also recognised with royal souvenirs.

The design was the couple’s conjoined gold monogram surmounted by Eugenie’s coronet.

The surrounding garlands of ivy were woven with traditional English wild bluebells, forget-me-nots and the white rose of York.

Items included a miniature teacup and saucer for £25, a tankard for £39 and a £20 wedding coaster, now available for £10.

The tea towel which originally cost £9.95 is now available at royalcollectionshop.co.uk for £4.95.

– The Prince of Wales’s 70th birthday

Charles’s milestone was marked with a host of blue, red and gold china souvenirs.

The pieces featured a specially painted coat of arms with the shield of the Duchy of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales’s Red Dragon badge, and daffodils, the national flower of Wales.

As well as the traditional tankard, tea cup and saucer and pill box, there was also a limited edition rectangular tray for £145 and a limited edition charger plate costing £195.

– The cuddly corgi

The Queen is known for her love of corgis and has owned more than 30 of the diminutive dogs.

Although the Royal Collection does not issue separate sales figures for each of its ranges, the cuddly corgi is one of its most popular items.

The 30cm tribute to the Queen’s beloved former pets features a red collar with a gold medallion and costs £19.95.

The monarch no longer has any corgis left after her final one Whisper died last year.