It’s not every day that a scent is made specifically for you. Renowned perfume houses have been famously known to craft bespoke fragrances for the elite. Imagine commissioning the perfect scent for your wedding day. Well, luckily for us, these artisanal bottles are still around for us to snap up – and maybe you’ll find your bridal scent in here or the perfect regal gift for Valentine's Day.
We did some digging and unravelled the favourite scents of royalty from around the world, with insight from a perfume retailer based in Dubai. Get ready to dab the go-to fragrances of the late Queen Elizabeth II of the UK, American actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly, and many more.
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1. Marie-Chantal, the Crown Princess of Greece: Annick Goutal Eau D'Hadrien, 100ml
In the 2016 book ‘Parfums de légende’ (Legendary Perfumes), authors Anne Davis and Bertrand Meyer-Stabley divulge the secrets of world-famous perfumeries. In it, we find that Marie-Chantal, the current crown princess of Greece, loves Annick Goutal’s Eau D’Hadrien for women. Carrying citrus notes, from Sicilian lemon and grapefruit to Italian green mandarin, the fragrance captures the Tuscan sun in a bottle. Grounding the light notes are the ylang-ylang flower and musk.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh53.14 for 12 months with select banks.
2. Grace Kelly, American actress and former Princess of Monaco: Creed Millesime Fleurissimo, 75ml
Perfume enthusiasts are well aware of the House of Creed’s long-established link with the European courts, says Fadi Naboulsi, who runs the online store Perfume Dubai, as part of a four-decade-long family business in the industry. Creed has been around since 1760, so it boasts a long list of A-list clientele. One of their famous commissions marked the wedding of the late American actress Grace Kelly. In a romantic gesture, her husband-to-be prince Rainier III of Monaco had the scent composed for her. All floral, Fleurissimo is inspired by the ideal wedding bouquet. Expect bergamot, violet leaves, jasmine, rose and sandalwood to sweep you off your feet and into a happily-ever-after. Coming in a bottle of 75ml, this royal bridal fragrance is a rare find.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh51.48 for 12 months with select banks.
3. Meghan Markle, American actress and Duchess of Sussex: Jo Malone Wild Bluebell, 100ml
Thanks to an interview with the UK’s Daily Express in 2016, we know that the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle (pictured) is a Jo Malone London fan. She names Wild Bluebell as one of her three go-to perfumes. Bluebells are wild flowers that give off a sharp ‘green’ scent, with a heady sweet scent. Add to this, persimmon’s creamy notes, fortified by powdery white musk, and you end up with a light, youthful fragrance. Despite the word blue in its name, this is very much a floral green perfume.
Bonus: Buy with 0% instalments and pay Dh46.49 for 12 months with select banks.
4. Mughal princesses: Swiss Arabian Jamila Attar For Women, 15ml
Apparently, the Nizams of Hyderabad were deeply fond of attar, especially perfume oils extracted from jasmine. A piece in the Indian English daily Deccan Herald states that “a Mughal princess’ bath was incomplete without attar”. While we can’t wear the exact natural oils so loved by court poets and nobility, alike, we can look for similar scents. Swiss Arabian’s Jamila for women carries heart notes of white jasmine and magnolia rose. The attar opens with uplifting tangerine and leaves you with a creamy floral fragrance, owing to musk and amber. This 15ml of perfume oil will last you at least eight months of neck and wrist dabs, say reviews.
5. Clotilde Courau, Princess of Venice: Guerlain Shalimar, 90ml
French actress and princess of Venice Clotilde Courau says she’s been faithful to Guerlain’s Shalimar for years, in a sit-down with the French magazine Madame Figaro. Affordable and royalty-approved, this is your chance to wear a Parisian luxury fragrance. Shalimar celebrates the forevermore love story between emperor Shah Jahan and princess Mumtaz Mahal, promising its wearers eternal love. Composed of bergamot, iris and vanilla, this is a sensuous oriental fragrance.
6. Diana, former Princess of Wales: Christian Dior Diorissimo, 100ml
The copy of ‘Parfums de légende’ also dishes out on the late princess Diana’s favourite. The Princess of Wales adored Christian Dior’s Diorissimo, launched in 1956. Floral and fruity, the scent makes for the perfect daytime wear. Most of its heart lies in Dior’s signature flower, the lily-of-the-valley, with a blend of jasmine and ylang-ylang. Long-time wearers of Diorissimo in the reviews describe it as an irreplaceable feminine fragrance for women.
7. Queen Elizabeth II, former Queen of the UK: Floris White Rose, 100ml
Floris London has a special place in the British royal family – they were the only appointed perfumer to the late Queen Elizabeth II. UK-based newspaper The Telegraph reports that the monarch most likely took to the classic English fragrance by the perfumery, White Rose. It dates back to the early 1800s and is still on shelves today! Fun fact: British nurse Florence Nightingale has famously worn it, too. The floral green scent features roses and violets and ends in powdery amber notes. It’s light enough for everyday use.
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