Prince William and Kate Middleton fever has swept the nation. So here, we reveal some of the best memorabilia you can currently get your hands on....
It’ll come as no surprise that since the announcement of Prince William’s engagement to Kate (or should I say, Catherine) Middleton last week, souvenir manufacturers have gone into overdrive.
And many of these manufacturers are confident they will see sales as high as those for Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding back in 1981.
So whether you’re absolutely delighted about the news or you really couldn’t care less, here are some of the best William and Kate souvenirs on the market so far!
Marvellous mugs
ASDA has been extra quick off the mark with its launch of this commemorative mug to ‘mark the moment we were all given a wonderful royal wedding to look forward to’ – apparently. And the best bit it is, the mug only costs £5!
Meanwhile, on eBay, you can pick up several different mugs, such as this commemorative mug for £4.99 or this one for £7.49. And at Amazon, this engagement mug will set you back £14.95.
Finally, if you want to go the whole hog, Aynsley China will be launching an array of china to mark the engagement, including a tankard (£29.95), a coaster (£9.95), a crown plate (£39.95) and a loving cup with two handles (£32.95). These should be on sale early next year.
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Ebay offerings
I’ve already mentioned ebay once, but if you’re a serious collector, make sure you check it out because it’s packed full of some brilliant bargains (note, all prices mentioned below exclude delivery).
If you’re after a new T-shirt, why not purchase this tasteful Royal Wedding 2011 T-shirt for £8.50 – available for both men and women? What better way to show your support?
Or, if you’re madly in love with Prince William, why not sport this t-shirt transfer which states ‘Prince William is only marrying Kate because I said no!’? At £1.99, you'd be mad to miss out!
And if you’re more of a Camilla fan, this wicked t-shirt might float your boat at £10.50.
On the other hand, if it’s your home you’re hoping to dress up and not yourself, you might be more interested in this limited edition cushion cover for a great price of £9.99. I’m sure it will look superb in your lounge.
And this delightful clock will look wonderful on your kitchen wall! What’s more, it’ll only set you back £6.99.
Finally, if you’re hoping to get into the Christmas spirit, what better way to do it than with this charming homemade Prince William and Kate Christmas card? It’ll cost you £2.29 for one card and apparently the card is mounted on spotty sparkle organza backing and looks stunning. (To be honest though, at that price, I think you’re better off making one yourself!)
Rings
If you’re planning to propose to your loved one and you fancy getting a lookalike ring but can’t afford the hefty price tag*, H.Samuel is offering its own 9ct gold, diamond and sapphire cluster ring for £179, or if you want to bump it up to 18ct, you can pick up this one for £750.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a real bargain, head over to QVC where you can pick up a similar ring for just £34.42!
And at Argos, this 9ct sapphire and diamond cluster ring is £74.99, while this sterling silver ring is even more of a bargain at £15.99.
Coins and other things
The Royal Mint has announced it’s producing a commemorative £5 coin to celebrate the engagement of William and Kate. You can find out more about when it will be released on the Royal Mint website.
Meanwhile, over at Amazon, this Catherine (yes, Catherine, not Kate) and William engagement commemorative thimble has had £10 chopped off the RRP and is now on sale for £9.95.
And you can also pre-order The Sun’s book William and Kate: A Royal Love Story for £9.99, saving you £5. Beautiful.
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A little bit of luxury
According to the Telegraph, a number of hotels have been offering some fabulous deals to recently engaged couples.
For example, if you’re lucky enough to be called Kate and you’re also engaged to someone called William (or vice versa), you may have been able to take advantage of Ten Manchester Street’s offer in Marylebone, offering you a complimentary afternoon tea with a chilled bottle of champagne!
Similarly, The Landmark London Hotel had been offering any couple who had become engaged over the past month a free night’s stay and a bottle of champagne.
Unfortunately, both of these deals have now expired. But if you’re in the south west, The Cornwall Hotel Spa and Estate is still offering couples who became engaged last week a free overnight stay and a his and hers spa treatment. Bookings must be made by 30 November for stays until 31 March 2011 and you will have to prove your engagement!
Follow in their footsteps
On the back of the joyous news, holiday company Kuoni has revealed 10 great places to make your perfect proposal or enjoy your honeymoon, as well as some top tips.
And if you want to head to where the action is, you can find out how you can stay at Lewa Safari Camp on the Lewa Conservancy where the royal proposal took place with Steppes Travel. What more could you ask for?
Finally, other tat we are likely to see on our shop shelves over the coming months include tea towels, baseball caps, Frisbees, spoons, paperweights, key rings and much much more.
So whether you can’t get enough of the Royal Family, or you have absolutely no interest whatsoever, chances are you won’t be able to escape the big wedding next year!
*The ring cost £28,000 back in 1981 and is thought to be worth around £250,000 now.
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