Victoria’s secret
What do you buy the monarchist who has everything? One auction bidder has the answer: knickers that belonged to Queen Victoria. The buyer paid £6,200 ($9,900) for them on October 12th at an auction in Kent. At her death in 1901, Victoria bequeathed several dozen pairs of bloomers to her servants (“for loyal service”) but only one other complete pair has been found and sold. These drawers are interesting because the 52-inch (132cm) waist shows how well Her Majesty ate in later years. The sale is part of a growing market for the underwear of famous dead people: recent auctions have tried to sell the smalls of Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith and Elvis Presley. Someone wanted £7,000 for the King’s briefs in 2012 but they didn’t sell. Only Victoria’s have sat on an actual throne.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "Victoria’s secret"
From the October 18th 2014 edition
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