A piece of royal memorabilia denoting what should have been one of the happiest days in the life of Diana, Princess of Wales has sold for £1,000 at auction in Gloucestershire.

Collectors have been bidding today on a nine inch square piece of the five-tier wedding cake of H.R.H. The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer.

The main royal wedding cake was baked by Chief Petty Officer David Avery, a Royal Navy cookery instructor, and his colleagues at HMS Pembroke in Chatham. Even without the icing, the cake weighed in at a staggering one-and-a-half cwt.

The small slice of cake sold this afternoon was originally owned by Moyra Smith. She was a cleaner at the Clarence House home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and it was here that Lady Diana spent the eve of her July 29th 1981 wedding to the future king.

Accompanying the slice of cake, which has been preserved in cling film, is a signed thank you note from the newlyweds.

Today's sale comes just days before family, friends and fans of the once future queen mark the eleventh anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales who died on Sunday 31st August 1997 from injuries sustained in a car crash in Paris.