Royalty and perfume have a very long history, dating back thousands of years. But why is this connection so strong?
The birth of perfume
Perfume has existed for thousands of years: traces dating back to ancient times have been found. Originally, it had a mystical role and was considered a connection with the gods "through smoke" or "per fumum" in Latin (the root of the word we use today). It wasn't until much later that people began to perfume themselves! The process and ingredients used to make it made it a rare and very expensive product. It was unthinkable for ordinary people to be able to afford perfume. In ancient times, only the wealthiest members of society could enjoy the delicious scent of perfume.
Over time, the process evolved, but perfume was the ultimate luxury product for many centuries. Although the wealthy and aristocrats could afford a few bottles, perfume was mostly worn by royalty. Some very rare perfumes from faraway lands were given to kings and queens as diplomatic gifts. These gifts were coveted by royal families around the world. It was truly a different era!
Perfume and Royalty: A True Love Story
Kings and queens quickly developed a passion for perfume. In an era when baths were not common, perfume was used to disguise body odor. Good! Over the years, monarchs used and abused perfume to ensure they always smelled pleasant. This technique of masking the true odor was also adopted by aristocratic families, who used perfumes of lower quality or made from more common ingredients.
Let's start with the Queen of Hungary: in the 12th century, she is said to have received a gift of distilled rosemary water. Aren't you impressed? It's said to be a highly effective remedy for illnesses, a beauty potion, and a veritable fountain of youth.
The queen herself reportedly wrote that after using the distilled water for a year, she regained the appearance of a young woman, despite her 72 years. Thanks to her restored health and beauty, the King of Poland proposed to her, but she refused. That's saying something!
During the reign of Catherine de Medici, the tanners of Grasse had the brilliant idea of offering the queen a pair of scented gloves. This gift was an incredible invention for the time! Since the gloves had an unpleasant odor, they decided to use local scents like lavender, mimosa, orange blossom, and rose to mask the smell of tanned leather.
The queen loved the idea and inspired the fashion for scented gloves at the French court!
One of the most famous queens, Marie Antoinette, was no exception: she adored perfumes. Her favorite scent? Lavender, which she sprayed on her hair.
It was that delicious scent of lavender that betrayed her when she ran away; she was brought back to Paris to be guillotined. Oh dear...
If you're interested in learning more about the history of perfumery, Elisabeth de Feydeau's books are full of tantalizing stories and mouth-watering scents!
Modern royalty, global celebrities and perfume: an enduring love story
Although once considered a luxury product, perfume is much more affordable and accessible today. Some perfumers create fragrances in honor of kings, queens, princes, princesses, and even dukes. Blenheim Bouquet, for example, was created in honor of the Duke of Marlborough in 1902. A true privilege, isn't it?
These days, it's celebrities and models who are in the spotlight, rather than monarchs: they are the ones who set trends and attract attention!
Many celebrities have created their own perfumes or fragrance brands. Rihanna and her fragrance Fenty have gone viral, Kim Kardashian has a self-titled fragrance, Jay-Z created his fragrance Gold, and even Bruce Willis is advertising his fragrance Lovingly.
Perfume remains synonymous with elegance, wealth, and fame, but that's not all. Today, perfume is worn on the skin. It allows the wearer to freely express their creativity by wearing a scent that reflects their personality.
If kings and queens used to wear perfume for pleasure, today's stars have their own line of perfumes so that these scents can be worn by as many people as possible.
Discover everything you need to know about the history of perfume: the role of perfume in ancient Egypt , the Middle Ages , the Renaissance and discover modern perfumes .
