How to smell like King Charles. The fragrances loved by royalty

“It was hard to smell anything over his personal scent,” Harry writes. “Eau Sauvage [$175, 100ml]. He’d slather the stuff on his cheeks, his neck, his shirt. Flowery, with a hint of something harsh, like pepper or gunpowder, it was made in Paris. Said so on the bottle. Which made me think of Mummy.”

As for Charles’s mummy Elizabeth, the late Queen was closely associated with Britain’s longest family-owned perfumer Floris, which has provided scents for the royal family since 1730.

“Fragrance was popular with the unpopular Hanoverian kings, so a tunnel was used from the Floris store in Jermyn Street, London, to Buckingham Palace,” says Michael Marzano, from Australian perfume distributor Agence de Parfum. “Being from Germany, the home of Cologne, the Hanoverians were accustomed to wearing fragrances and this way could buy them without being scrutinised for extravagance. ”

With the tunnel sealed for security reasons, Elizabeth most likely had a rumoured favourite White Roses ($190, 100ml), with notes of rose, violet and carnation, delivered by more traditional methods.

Floris was the only perfume brand granted a warrant by Elizabeth and created the woody Platinum 22 ($399, 100ml) to mark her Jubilee celebrations, but the Queen also had a fondness for French perfumer Guerlain’s L’Herure Blueue ($248, 100ml). Her attachment was reportedly so strong that oil from her coronation was kept in a bottle from Guerlain.

During the 2018 BBC documentary The Coronation, a distinctive Guerlain bottle containing coronation oil was produced by the retired Dean of Westminster, Dr John Hall.

“It is kept very safe in the Deanery, in a very hidden place in a little box here, which has in it a flask containing the oil from 1953,” says Hall. “You see what it consists of sesame seed and olive oil, perfume with roses, orange flowers, jasmine, musk, civet and ambergris.”

Unlike Camilla, whose scent preference is unknown, Charles’s first wife Diana was linked to many perfumes.

“She always, always, always wore fragrance, which is a huge thing in a woman’s life,” shared Mary Greenwell, Princess Diana’s makeup artist, in a 2014 interview. “It’s kind of the final touch of beauty, walking out smelling divine and chic and individual.”

Diana was linked to Penhaligon’s Bluebell ($250, 100ml), Hermès 24 Faubourg and Houbigant Paris Quelques Fleurs, which she wore on her wedding day in 1981.

Mining his memories for Spare, Harry also recalled Diana wearing First by Van Cleef & Arpels, with notes of hyacinth, rose, jasmine, amber and sandalwood, which he took to a therapy session as an adult.

“At the start of our session, I lifted the lid, took a deep sniff,” Harry writes. “Like a tab of LSD. I read somewhere that smell is our oldest sense, and that fitted with what I experienced in that moment, images rising from what felt like the most primal part of my brain.”

So, what does Harry wear? It is rumoured the prince favours Davidoff Cool Water, available from Chemist Warehouse for $39.99, no secret tunnel required.

Fragrances of the royal family

Princess Catherine

When it was announced that Kate Middleton wore White Gardenia Petals by Illuminum for her 2011 wedding to Prince William, the fragrance quickly sold out. Easier to obtain is Orange Blossom by Jo Malone ($234, 100ml), which was revealed by professional Kate-watcher, Susan Kelley, founder of the website What Kate Wore, to be Catherine’s current favourite.

Prince William

Like father, like son. Traditionalist William is said to favour Blenheim Bouquet by Penhaligon’s ($250, 100ml). The fragrance created for the Duke of Marlborough in 1902 contains notes of pine, musk and black pepper. Apparently Prince Philip was also a fan, along with Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet ($250, 100ml).

Princess Anne

While the Princess Royal’s practical wardrobe is rarely described as chic, her preference for perfume hints at an appreciation for luxury. Calèche ($275, 100ml) from French luxury house and saddle maker Hermès, with ylang ylang, wood and chypre, is said to be Anne’s favourite scent.

Sophie, Duchess of Wessex

At her 1999 wedding day to Prince Edward, Sophie Wessex was very much a woman of the time, selecting Ralph Lauren’s Romance ($143, 50ml), with notes of Rose, Chamomile, Ginger, Lemon and Yellow Freesia.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

At her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle wore a custom scent from Floris inspired by their Beramotto di Positano perfume, which has notes of bergamot, orange blossom ginger, and green tea.

Like Catherine, Meghan also favours Jo Malone. While running her website The Tig, Meghan revealed a preference for Malone’s Wild Bluebell ($234, 100ml) and Wood Sage & Sea Salt ($234, 100ml), along with the floral Oribe Côte d’Azur ($148, 75ml).

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