Prince's charities get into the souvenir game

The royals may have finally figured out there’s some cash to be made from this wedding business, which could be a boon for some charities.

Prince Charles, for one, is getting into the souvenir act, specifically to aid The Prince’s Charities Foundation, a group of 20 non-profit organizations.

The Highgrove online store, an arm of Prince Charles’s website, sells merchandise in which all money is plowed into the foundation. Included among the environmentally-friendly merchandise is a section of royal wedding souvenirs. It was done, according to a St. James Palace spokesperson, “in response to customer demand.”

Among the 11 items for sale is a 14x10-inch, 250-piece puzzle featuring William and Kate from their engagement announcement. The puzzle is made “using wood from forests
managed on a sustainable yield basis.” The price is $47 (Canadian). But be prepared to spend way more than that for shipping to a Canadian address.

The priciest item for sale is a bottle of champagne (“dry, fruity” from the Marne region) complete with a pair of champagne flutes emblazoned with Prince William’s royal crest, the couple’s names and the wedding date done in 22-carat gold. Yours for $143 (plus the extraordinary shipping).

CALLING ALL BRITONS

Not to be confused with the philanthropic nature of Charles’s store is the new product from Alcatel. It’s a special edition royal    phone featuring the union jack on the keyboard, wallpaper of Kate and William, and the date of the wedding written on the back. Oh yeah, there’s a ringtone of The Wedding March. All for only 14.95 pounds ($24 Canadian) and available in the UK. As one blogger points out, however, the exact same phone minus the royal trappings can be had for one pence.

For more about royal souvenirs, questionable or otherwise, check out our gallery.

HITTING A SOUR NOTE

Cue the violins … there are some hurt feelings in the royal household. As reported in the Telegraph, Peter Maxell Davies, in his role of  Master of the Queen’s Music, was looking forward to composing wedding music for Kate and William. Alas, his phone has not rung. “They are, obviously, not going to ask, because it has been left too late,” Davies told the paper.

It’s not the first time a royal composer has been snubbed. Davies’ predecessor, Malcolm Williamson, was left out of the music plans for the Charles-Diana wedding in 1981.