George Boyle
Meghan Markle's wedding dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, was a topic of much speculation before her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. The Duchess of Sussex's dress was described as a timeless minimal elegance by Kensington Palace, featuring long sleeves, a bateau neckline, and a sculptural silhouette. However, it was reportedly not to everyone's taste, with Queen Elizabeth II allegedly disapproving of the choice, deeming it too white for a divorcee. Despite the controversy, the dress has become one of the most celebrated royal fashion moments in history, with Markle adding a personal touch by stitching a piece of fabric from her first date with Prince Harry into the veil.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Meghan Markle's wedding | 19 May 2018 |
| Wedding dress designer | Clare Waight Keller |
| Wedding dress design house | Givenchy |
| Wedding dress style | Timeless, minimal, elegant, modern, simple, sleek lines, sharp cuts |
| Wedding dress colour | White |
| Queen's opinion of the dress | "Too white" for a divorcee remarrying in church |
| Queen's opinion of the wedding | "Disneyesque spectacle" |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Elizabeth II's negative comment about Meghan Markle's wedding dress
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly made a negative comment about Meghan Markle's wedding dress, stating that it was "too white." The late monarch allegedly believed that the dress was not appropriate for a divorcee remarrying in church. This sentiment was shared by Ingrid Seward in her book, "My Mother and I," where she wrote:
> "She told me that the Queen had made only one remark about Meghan and Harry's wedding, and that was that Meghan's Givenchy wedding gown was 'too white.' In the monarch's view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal."
The dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, featured a bateau neckline and double-bonded silk cady. It took 3,900 hours to design the veil, with eight fittings and five months of clandestine communication between Meghan and Keller. The dress was said to embody "timeless minimal elegance," conveying "modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts."
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The bride's veil was embroidered with flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth, including the California poppy and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. Meghan added a personal touch by stitching a piece of blue fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Harry into the hem of her wedding veil.
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Meghan Markle's wedding dress designer
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of Givenchy. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady, with a bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train of triple silk organza. The design was a collaboration between Markle and Waight Keller, with the latter describing it as seeking to "convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts" while paying homage to the history of the Givenchy house. The dress is estimated to have cost $265,000 and took 3,900 hours to design, with eight fittings and five months of collaboration between the designer and the bride.
Waight Keller was chosen by Markle because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British female designer and because of her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour". The dress was also inspired by Audrey Hepburn's iconic Givenchy dress in the 1957 film Funny Face, as well as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wedding gown, which Markle had previously described as "everything goals".
The veil, which was 16 feet long, was designed to represent the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country. It was made from five-metre-long silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza. It was held in place by Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara, lent to Markle by the Queen.
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The cost of Meghan Markle's wedding dress
The wedding dress of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is rumoured to have cost $265,000. The dress was designed by acclaimed British designer Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of the historic French fashion house Givenchy. The dress was paid for by Markle herself.
The dress was designed in secret over five months of clandestine communication, with eight fittings. The veil alone took 3,900 hours to design. The dress was designed to be a "timeless piece" but also to "convey modernity". The gown featured long sleeves and a bateau neckline, a nod to the iconic dress in the 1957 movie Funny Face. The dress was also said to be a "modern interpretation of the royal role", with a "fresh and personal" style.
The Duchess of Sussex's choice of wedding dress designer is something she has spoken about in the 2018 ITV documentary, Queen of the World. She revealed that she wanted a "delicate" look and trusted the designer to bring her vision to life. The dress was also said to be a meaningful part of the overall look, with a five-metre-long veil that fanned out behind her as she walked up and down the chapel steps. The veil was embroidered with 53 individual flowers, representing each of the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.
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The design of Meghan Markle's wedding dress
The wedding dress of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, was designed by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy and the first woman to hold the role. The dress reportedly cost $265,000 and took 3,900 hours to design, with eight fittings and five months of clandestine communication. Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent and was drawn to the designer's elegant aesthetic and relaxed demeanour.
The dress featured long sleeves, a bateau neckline, and a sculptural silhouette. It was made of double-bonded silk cady, with six meticulously placed seams, and culminated in a 16-foot-long train. The veil was embroidered with flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth and was complemented by Queen Mary's Sapphire Bandeau tiara, borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II's collection.
Markle's dress was a departure from the usual royal wedding style. She opted for a contemporary fashion house and a British woman designer, similar to her sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales, who chose Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Markle's dress was inspired by classic Old Hollywood gowns, particularly Audrey Hepburn's bateau-neck wedding dress in the 1957 film Funny Face. Markle also drew inspiration from Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's simple wedding dress in 1996.
The dress was meant to represent Markle's modern interpretation of the royal role, combining simplicity, timeless elegance, and effortless American style. It was described as a "really solid fashion statement" by Elizabeth Emanuel, co-designer of Princess Diana's wedding gown.
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Meghan Markle's wedding dress compared to Princess Kate's
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy and the first woman to hold that position. The gown featured long sleeves, a bateau neckline, and a sculptural silhouette. It was estimated to cost $265,000 and took 3,900 hours to design, including eight fittings and five months of clandestine communication. Markle's dress was described as a "modern interpretation of the royal role," with a focus on simplicity and timeless elegance.
Princess Kate's wedding dress, on the other hand, was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. It featured a fitted white V-neck gown with long-lace sleeves and an epic train. The dress was composed of French Chantilly lace and English Cluny lace throughout the bodice, skirt, and underskirt. Kate's dress was so iconic that it inspired countless wedding dresses and even an affordable version by H&M.
While both dresses were stunning and unique, Markle's dress was noted to be more of a departure from the usual royal wedding style. It referenced Old Hollywood and American royalty, with inspiration drawn from Audrey Hepburn's bateau-neck wedding dress in the 1957 movie Funny Face. Markle's dress also had a more contemporary and individualistic style, while still paying homage to the codes of the House of Givenchy.
In contrast, Princess Kate's dress followed a more traditional and classic royal wedding style. However, it is worth noting that both Markle and Kate innovated by selecting contemporary fashion houses and uplifting British women designers. Additionally, both dresses featured long sleeves and a focus on timeless elegance.
In terms of the Queen's opinion of Markle's wedding dress, there were reports that she made a disapproving comment, allegedly believing that the dress was too white for a divorcee to wear in a church. However, it is unclear if these reports are accurate, as the Queen never voiced her true opinions publicly.
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Frequently asked questions
According to a royal biography, Queen Elizabeth II thought Meghan Markle's wedding dress was "too white" for a divorced woman remarrying in church. The biography also mentions that the Queen was not comfortable with the Disney-like spectacle of the wedding.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller of the fashion house Givenchy. The dress was white, with long sleeves, an open bateau neckline, and a sculptural silhouette. It was designed to convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts while paying homage to the history of the Givenchy house.
Meghan Markle's veil was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, the California poppy, and wintersweet.
