I Tested the $240 Perfume Worn By Princess Diana on Her Wedding Day
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It's been over 40 years since the wedding of the century—otherwise known as the moment that Princess Diana walked down the aisle at St. Paul's Cathedral to marry Prince Charles. The fairy tale didn't last, but the storied history of her signature scent did. According to Diana's wedding day makeup artist, Barbara Daly, the late Princess of Wales spritzed herself with Houbigant Paris, specifically their Quelques Fleurs eau de parfum ($240), ahead of saying 'I do.' And notably, she also accidentally spilled some of it on her iconic Elizabeth and David Emanuel dress.
All these years later, Quelques Fleurs is still a signature scent in the Houbigant collection, which is why I decided to put the royally-approved fragrance to the test, for both a day at the office and night out. Here, how the floral scent fared in my non-royal life.
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Houbigant is, in fact, the oldest perfume house in the world. Long before Diana, Marie Antoinette—en route to her execution—was said to reach for Houbigant, which opened its very first perfume shop on Rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré in Paris in 1775. So did Queen Victoria, who gave the fragrance house the title of Perfumer to Her Majesty in 1838, a major royal honor. It was Diana's choice to wear the brand's signature scent, Quelques Fleurs, on her wedding day that helped secure Houbigant's status as a go-to for the royal family.Per Daly, who offered a behind the scenes peek at Diana's wedding day in Rosalind Coward's book, Diana: The Portrait, the bride was spritzing her wrists with Quelques Fleurs at Clarence House (the place where she got ready on July 29, 1981) and accidentally spilled it on her voluminous gown. The pair worked out a plan so that Diana could hide the stain: She placed her hand over the spot in order to make it seem like she was holding up her dress as she made her way down the aisle. (Instead the focus was on the creases in her dress, said to have been caused by the carriage ride.)
The floral scent, which means 'some flowers,' features notes of tuberose, jasmine and rose. The top notes include bergamot, tarragon and lemon with rich base notes of honey, vanilla, sandalwood and oakmoss.
I'm not always drawn to floral fragrances—over the years, the scents I've relied on (such as Jo Malone's Peony and Blush Suede Cologne) have included florals, but they tend to be tempered by citrus. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by Quelques Fleurs.
I tried it for the first time on a day in the office, and I didn't want an overpowering scent in the workplace. That said, perhaps I was too conservative; When I mentioned to my boss that I was donning Quelques Fleurs on assignment, she had to lean in close to get a whiff. 'I didn't notice it,' she remarked. This feedback led me to adjust my application. After all, while Quelques Fleurs may feel overpowering in a small space like your bathroom, it blooms as it settles. (As fragrance experts might describe, it has a 'dry-down.')
As far as the scent itself goes, I found it wearable with a vintage feel and I loved that, as it melds into your skin, the different flowers stand out. (The Lily of the Valley, for example, really seemed to pop at one point.) As my test drive continued, I found myself reaching for it often, perfect for Saturday night dinner with a friend or a glass of red wine on a chilly spring night.
Did I feel like royalty when I wore the scent Diana made famous? Sorta! But I also felt like the everywoman she represented to so many. The fact that she splashed it on her wedding dress speaks to the fragrance's history and accessibility. This is a perfume that feels significant, but one that you don't have to be too precious about either.
$240 at Neiman marcus
The 20 Best Perfumes for Women, Vetted by Our Scent-Obsessed Editors
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