Drink like royalty for R1.5 million: Charles and Diana’s 1981 wedding champagne goes on sale

​One of 12 bottles of champagne from the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles, now King Charles III, and Princess Diana is set to go under the hammer in Denmark this month.

The 1961 Dom Pérignon Vintage magnum was one of only 12 bottles specially made and labelled to mark the royal wedding. The exclusive bottle will be auctioned on Thursday, December 11, at the Bruun Rasmussen auction house in Copenhagen.

On social media, Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers wrote: “A bottle of champagne from Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s wedding is now going under the hammer. Dubbed ‘the wedding of the century,’ Prince Charles and Lady Diana said yes to each other in 1981."

"We’re now presenting this rare piece of royal history at our Live Auction on 11 December: a Dom Pérignon Vintage 1961.”

The bottle is expected to sell for close to R1.5 million.

Thomas Rosendahl Andersen, a wine expert at the Danish auction house, told international publications: “Vintage 1961 is one of Dom Pérignon’s most coveted vintages. This special edition was produced in extremely limited numbers and exclusively for the official festivities and selected guests of the royal wedding.”

He added, “This is a champagne created for a historic royal occasion, making it extraordinarily rare. It represents not only a highly esteemed Dom Pérignon vintage but also a unique piece of cultural history.

"We expect strong international interest from both established wine collectors and royal memorabilia enthusiasts.”

Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married on July 29, 1981. Their wedding was watched by an estimated 750 million people around the world. The service took place at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, followed by a wedding breakfast and ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

The marriage, however, did not last. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.

The auction of this bottle is part of a growing interest in royal memorabilia. Items from high-profile royal events often draw attention from collectors internationally.

The Dom Pérignon Vintage 1961 magnum offers both a connection to a globally watched event and a piece of wine history.

Bruun Rasmussen has said that it expects competitive bidding and interest from collectors across Europe, Asia and the United States.

This bottle, part of a very limited edition, provides a rare chance to own a tangible link to one of the most famous weddings of the 20th century.