A slice of history: Piece of 182-year-old cake from Queen Victoria's wedding sells for £700

"You can’t get closer to history than that - this is a piece of cake from Queen Victoria’s wedding." Credit: Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood Auctioneers & Valuers

A slice of Queen Victoria's wedding cake has sold at auction in Exeter for hundreds of pounds.

The piece of 182-year-old plum cake is still in its original postage wrapping paper with a palace wax seal on the back.

It was presented in a box bearing the words 'The Queen's Bridal Cake, Buckingham Palace, Feb 10, 1840.'

Auctioneer Brian Goodison-Blanks said he was delighted when he saw it and knew it would have a 'broad appeal'.

"Although the cake was very dry, it still smelled a little bit like cake" he added.

"You can’t get closer to history than that - this is a piece of cake from Queen Victoria’s wedding."

The cake was still in its original wrapping in a small presentation box Credit: Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood Auctioneers & Valuers

The slice of cake was originally sent to a Scottish advocate and historian and was passed down through his family for hundreds of years before selling for £700 - more than twice its estimated price.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha were married in St James' Palace in London.

They had a 14-inch tall three-tiered wedding cake which weighed 300lbs and was a massive ten feet wide.

The auction house has strongly advised the buyer not to eat the cake.