Leeds royal fanatic auctions slice of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer’s wedding cake – after buying it twice

Royalist Gerry Layton, 62, has already forked out to own the unique portion of marzipan cake which is decorated with a Royal coat of arms in red, blue and gold.It was given to Moyra Smith, one of the Queen Mother's employees at Clarence House, following the 1981 ceremony.

The slice - which measures 8ins by 7ins and weighs 28oz - was preserved in cling film in an old cake tin for four decades until Gerry bought it last August for £2,170.

The decorative icing with marzipan base and crumbs of fruit cake attached is believed to be the only surviving example featuring the distinctive royal crest.

Gerry decided to donate the cake to a fundraising auction in aid of Martin House Children’s Hospice in Boston Spa in May.

But he couldn't resist putting his hand up to bid on the item again and won it for a second time.

Gerry, a yacht captain who provides luxury tours on London’s River Thames and a former TV sound engineer/producer, said: “I couldn’t resist.

"I always said I would like a little nibble of the fruit cake crumbs and, as I was watching auctioneer Charles Hanson selling it, I suddenly thought, ‘I can’t let it go. ‘I have to have a little bite of this’.

"The bids went up to £2,000 and I ended up buying it back. So now I’ve spent more than £4,000 on one piece of royal wedding cake.

“But to me it’s worth every penny. It’s the only piece like it in the world. I think it’s been undervalued.

“I think it’s extra special because Lady Diana was a hugely popular member of the royal family.

"I always admired her. I visited Kensington Palace to see her wedding dress. I couldn’t believe it when I woke up to the news that she was gone.”

Gerry is now selling the slice of cake once again and admits he fears he might bid on it for a third time.

It is expected to fetch between £3,000-£4,000 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in London on Saturday.

Gerry added: "I hadn’t planned to sell the cake again but Charles Hanson approached me after the charity auction and offered to sell it at Hansons Auctioneers.

"Before I knew it, he’d talked me into it. I just hope I’m not gripped by the curse of the cake and start bidding for it again - because I still haven’t had a nibble.

“I’d planned to be very careful not to disturb the icing and just try and take a crumb out of the corner.

"But I never got chance. It’s in safe-keeping at Hansons. It’s an ultra-rare thing and I think it’s value will increase over time.

"I will donate 50 per cent of the proceeds to Centrepoint, a charity supporting homeless young people, and Great Ormond Street Hospital, both of which Princess Diana was patron of.”