Agencies/London


A wedding cake featuring Prince William and his fiancee Catherine Middleton is displayed at Wellington House in London yesterday. The cake is part of the ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ exhibition sponsored by a sugar company
A famous US bakery chain is kneading its way into the money stream of Kate and William’s royal wedding, even if it is on the wrong side of the Atlantic.
Dunkin Donuts on Easter Sunday started offering its heart-shaped Royal Wedding Donut and, teaming with its ice cream partner, a Baskin-Robbins’ royal wedding ice cream cake.
“Didn’t make the guest list for the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton?” says a promo on its website. “Neither did we, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be celebrating the special occasion.”
The idea came from the company’s chief executive officer Nigel Travis, who happens to be a dual US-British citizen.
The heart shape signifies the love between Prince William and Catherine, Dunkin Donuts said. It’s filled with jelly, to represent “how their lives are to be ever-filled with happiness.”
A white frosting represents a traditional white wedding gown, while chocolate drizzle celebrates “William’s love for chocolate.”
The ice cream - of chocolate mousse ice cream and vanilla cake - sprouts 30 piped white and blue English roses.
Blue roses in England? Someone must be colour blind. But advance orders for the $29.99 cake are recommended.
Meanwhile, an Indian animal rights group hopes their wedding gift to Kate Middleton and Prince William, a set of traditional wedding garments made of artificial silk, will help raise awareness of how cruel traditional versions of the fabric can be.
The future King of England and his bride-to-be have been sent a faux-silk sari and sherwani patterned jacket, worn by couples in traditional Indian weddings, by the Indian branch of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), the group said yesterday.
“We hope Kate and William enjoy our cruelty-free gift as a symbol of compassion and love for each other and all creatures on their special day,” said Poorva Joshipura, chief functionary of Peta India.
Around 1,500 silkworms are killed to produce 100 grams of silk, used in many traditional garments in India, the world’s biggest consumer and second-largest producer of the fabric after China, a Peta release said.