Adela Thomas chose….

A paper bag and milk bottle tops commemorating the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, 29 July 1981

I chose these items as they remind me of the time when I had just finished university and the nation was gripped by the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer. Images of the couple appeared everywhere and I remember finding it amusing at the time to see them appear on such everyday, mundane items. The royal wedding also showcased a popular style of wedding dress in the early 1980s which many people referred to as 'the meringue'! Looking at some photographs at home recently it was a style I thankfully avoided for my own wedding in 1984.

Adela Thomas is a History Learning Officer at the Herbert

What the curator says:

A paper bag and milk bottle tops commemorating the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, 29 July 1981

Souvenirs of royal events have always been popular items but such throw-away items as milk bottle tops and paper bags are among the more unusual. The marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer was one of the most memorable events of the 1980s. 750 million people worldwide watched the wedding on television making it the most popular broadcast ever. The day of the wedding was a national holiday.