The Royal Sip You Can’t Have: The 40-Year-Old Dom Pérignon From Charles & Diana’s Wedding

A 40-year-old Dom Pérignon custom-made for Charles and Diana’s royal wedding hit the auction block, only to receive bids far below its expected price.

Apparently, even royal provenance has a minimum bid.

But the story behind this bottle is more than just luxury fizz. It’s a reminder that royal weddings have a level of spectacle, symbolism, and tradition that couples still reference today… and this champagne moment is one of the most unexpected throwbacks we’ve seen. So if you’ve ever wondered how to sprinkle a bit of royal fairy dust onto your own celebration, this one’s for you.

The Champagne That Literally Attended a Royal Wedding

At a Danish auction house, a magnum of Dom Pérignon Vintage 1961, one of only twelve bottles created specifically for Charles and Diana’s wedding, was expected to fetch a jaw-dropping price upwards of 600,000 Danish kroner (that’s around $93,000). According to a report, the bids didn’t even come close to the minimum.

This isn’t your regular “found in grandpa’s cellar” situation. Each bottle carried a unique commemorative label reading: “Specially shipped to honor the marriage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. 29 July 1981.”

Wine specialists reportedly said tests suggest it’s still drinkable, which honestly feels like the most unhinged flex. Imagine casually serving that during cocktails.

Why This Bottle Is So Rare (and So Dramatic)

Twelve bottles were produced, none intended for sale, all meant to be opened on the day.

From reports, the magnums were created as a celebratory gift from Dom Pérignon to the newlyweds. These weren’t the bottles that guests actually drank. These were the VIP versions, kept aside, possibly gifted to the inner circle, and eventually forgotten by time.

The lone bottle at auction came from a Danish collector, who previously acquired it from a London wine merchant. Auctioneers described it as “really, really rare” with royal provenance that collectors usually climb over each other to acquire.

But apparently, not rare enough for someone to drop 600k kroner on it this week. Tough economy.

A Quick Look Back at The Royal Wedding

Charles and Diana’s 1981 ceremony is still one of the biggest events in pop culture history.

Before we talk about how to bring royal touches into your wedding, let’s revisit the moment this champagne was originally meant for.

On July 29, 1981, Lady Diana Spencer walked down the aisle of St. Paul’s Cathedral wearing an iconic dress with a 25-foot train, instantly shifting the global imagination of what a royal bride could look like. The ceremony drew a worldwide audience of more than 750 million people, no Instagram Live needed.

After the church ceremony, the reception unfolded at Buckingham Palace, complete with tiers of royal protocol, family chaos, and the kind of pageantry only the British monarchy can pull off.

The marriage may have unraveled, but the cultural imprint? Untouchable.

How to Add a ‘Royal Wedding’ Moment to Your Own Celebration, Without Spending $90K+ on Champagne

You don’t need monarchy-level money to get monarchy-level glamour. If the idea of serving champagne older than your parents feels… excessive… there are still ways to channel that royal energy into your big day.

1. Signature Champagne Moment

Choose one bottle that symbolizes your love story, a rare vintage, a heritage vineyard, or even a bottle you’ve saved from your dating era.

2. Royal Color Cues

White, gold, deep emerald, and muted pastels immediately feel regal without veering into costume territory.

3. Heirloom Inspiration

Even if you don’t have literal crowns lying around, you can incorporate vintage brooches, pearls, or veils with sentimental history.

4. A Ceremony Entrance With Presence

Take cues from Diana, dramatic fashion moments still define weddings today. Long veils, structured silhouettes, or statement accessories can give a subtle nod to royal tradition.

Because being royal is a vibe, not a budget.

If anything, this unsold bottle proves that wedding relics, even the glittering, gilded, royal kind, can be unpredictable. What isn’t unpredictable? The fact that couples everywhere still dream of weaving a bit of regal magic into their celebrations, whether through fashion, florals, or yes, even champagne.

And if a 40-year-old bottle from the most iconic royal wedding of the 1980s didn’t find a buyer, maybe the real lesson is that royalty is less about price tags and more about presence.

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