Prague Marks & Spencer stores selling out of Charles III coronation biscuits

The coronation of Charles III as king of the United Kingdom will take place next weekend in London, but the event will be celebrated throughout the world. In the Czech Republic, sales of some commemorative coronation items have been especially popular.

Tins of commemorative coronation biscuits at British retailer Marks & Spencer have been selling out at Czech locations, according to Lidovky.cz. While Prague stores had sold out of the tins early last week, stock had been replenished heading into the weekend.

"There is a huge demand for the [coronation] biscuits," a salesperson at a Marks & Spencer branch in Prague's Smíchov shopping center told Lidovky.cz. "They were completely sold out on Tuesday. Now they are available again, just like other goods from the limited edition line for the coronation of the British king."

The coronation biscuits have proven popular despite a significant markup for the Czech market. A tin of the biscuits at local Marks & Spencer branches retails for CZK 349, but the same tin costs less than half that amount (£6, or about CZK 160) at Marks & Spencer locations in the United Kingdom.

Marks & Spencer branches in the Czech Republic also retail other commemorative coronation items, including a tin of tea that retails for CZK 299 (£5, or about CZK 135, in the UK). In addition to food products, royal fans can also purchase T-shirts (CZK 599), pajamas (CZK 799), and other collectible coronation items.

Having visited the Wenceslas Square branch of Marks & Spencer on Sunday afternoon, we can confirm that tins of both biscuits and tea had completely sold out.

While UK locations such as Harrods, the British Museum, and even Buckingham Palace offer commemorative merchandise ahead of next weekend's coronation, Marks & Spencer might be the only store offering "official" coronation items on the Czech market.

"The interest in products connected to the coronation of the king is really high," Marks & Spencer spokesperson Lucie Ulrichová told Lidovky.cz.

"I have to admit that we were pleasantly surprised. In the past we have offered limited edition items for the anniversary of the birth of royal descendants, or for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, but we have never seen such high interest."

The coronation of Charles III and his wife Camilla as king and queen of the United Kingdom and other commonwealth realms will take place on Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey. It occur almost exactly 70 years after the coronation of Charles' mother, Elizabeth II, in 1953.

Czech President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva will officially represent the Czech Republic at the coronation ceremony next weekend.