Tag Archives: Penhaligon’s hammam bouquet

perfumes in tv shows

The Crown S02E05 (Marionettes)

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In 1956 Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) gets a haircut in her bedroom. She has two small round tables near her, and on one of them there are two interesting bottles. Both are Penhaligon’s perfumes.

The bottle with dark blue ribbon is the now sadly discontinued Cornubia, a luscious white floral fragrance first launched in 1910 with the name Cornubia Bouquet and re-launched in 1995.

The dark red ribbon marks a legendary fragrance by Penhaligon’s – Hammam Bouquet. This amber woody scent, created by William Penhaligon, was first launched in 1872. Although heavily reformulated, this is still available on the market.

It’s interesting to notice that Hammam Bouquet appears in an episode from Season 1 in the bathroom of the Duke of Windsor – a detail which connects the two members of the Royal Family, at least in the fictional version of their lives.

I found no evidence that Elizabeth II has ever worn these two fragrances. Most rumours point towards something very different – Floris White Rose (which she probably wore on her wedding day) and Guerlain L’Heure Bleue.

perfumes in movies

Death on the Nile (1978)

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deathonthenile_bornunicorn (2)There are two perfume bottles in Colonel Race’s cabin. Despite the ribbons in different colours, I think they are the same bottle – Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet.

penhaligonshammambouquet_bornunicornThe woody floral perfume was created in 1872 by William Penhaligon, who found inspiration in the Turkish baths located in Jermyn Street, London.

The bottle above has the old packaging, the Turkish star and crescent design being a nod to its main inspiration.

perfumes in tv shows, soaps in tv shows

The Crown S01E05 (Smoke and Mirrors)

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thecrown_s01e05_bornunicorn-1When the Duke of Windsor (Alex Jennings) is interviewed by a magazine reporter, he opens the doors of his private rooms. Four perfumes and a soap can be seen among his toiletries.

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floris_cefirosoap_bornunicornThe “good, well-milled soap” in the silver soap dish is by Floris. The first perfume on the left is by the same brand, which received the first Royal Warrant in 1820.

floris_specialno127_bornunicornReading the perfume label is impossible, but I’m pretty sure it could be Special N°127, a fragrance that the Duke of Windsor wore. Created in 1890 for Russia’s Grand Duke Orloff, it was originally named Orloff Special, but later renamed after the page in the ‘Specials’ formula book in which the recipe was recorded. It was regularly used by Eva Peron and Winston Churchill.

geoftrumper_spanishleathercologne_bornunicornThe second bottle from the left is Spanish Leather cologne by Geo F. Trumper, another historical London brand, established in the late 19th century by Mr George Trumper, operating from a shop at 9 Curzon Street, in Mayfair.

penhaligons_blenheimbouquet_bornunicornThe other two bottles are by Penhaligon’s perfumes. The one with the grey ribbon bow is Blenheim Bouquet: created in 1902, it was one of the favourite perfumes of Winston Churchill.

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The one with the dark red ribbon bow is Hammam Bouquet, created in 1872 and inspired by the scent of the Turkish Baths on Jermyn Street, Piccadilly.

Thanks to my friend Raffy for telling me about this scene and for identifying the Floris soap.