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Meghan Markle's wedding dress has been a highly discussed topic since her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018. The dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, was simple and classic, with an open boat neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves. It is estimated to have cost $265,000 and took 3,900 hours to design the veil alone. Reactions to the dress were mixed, with some calling it gorgeous, beautiful, and stunning, while others found it ill-fitting and boring. The dress has been compared to those worn by other royals, such as Princess Kate and Princess Diana, and has been hailed as an act of royal rebellion due to Markle's choice of a non-British designer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding Date | 19 May 2018 |
| Bride | Meghan Markle |
| Groom | Prince Harry |
| Dress Designer | Clare Waight Keller |
| Dress House | Givenchy |
| Dress Style | Simple, elegant, contemporary |
| Veil | Embroidered with flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth |
| Reception Dress | High-neck, halter dress by Stella McCartney |
| Reactions | "Ill-fitting", "boring", "solid fashion statement", "stunning and beautiful" |
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What You'll Learn
Meghan Markle's wedding dress designer
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady with a bateau neckline, structured three-quarter sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The design was inspired by Markle's affinity for Audrey Hepburn, particularly the iconic off-the-shoulder Givenchy dress Hepburn wore in the 1957 film Funny Face. Markle also cited Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy as an inspiration, admiring the simplicity of her wedding gown.
Waight Keller was chosen by Markle because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent and because of the designer's elegant aesthetic and relaxed demeanour. The two worked closely together on the design, which was created in just five months, with eight fittings. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers.
The choice of Waight Keller also made history, as she became the first female artistic director of the historic French fashion house in 2017. The dress was estimated to cost about $265,000, which the bride paid for herself.
The media noted similarities between Markle's dress and those worn by other royal brides, including Angela Brown, Mary Donaldson, and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Markle's dress was also compared to a formal dress worn by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and her reception dress to Bessette-Kennedy's now-classic wedding gown.
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The dress's 'something blue'
Meghan Markle's wedding dress and veil were designed by Clare Waight Keller, the first-ever female artistic director of Givenchy. The veil was 16.5 feet long and made of silk tulle. It featured hand-embroidered flowers from all 53 Commonwealth countries, as well as an homage to Kensington Palace and Markle's home state of California.
The dress and veil were well-received by the public, with many praising the simple yet elegant design. However, some people criticised the gown as ill-fitting and boring.
The "something blue" in Markle's wedding ensemble was a piece of blue fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry. The fabric was sewn into the hem of the wedding dress and the veil, serving as a secret and personal memento of their first date.
In an interview for the documentary "Queen of the World", Markle revealed the hidden detail, saying, "Somewhere in here, there's a piece of blue fabric stitched inside. It's my something blue. It's fabric from the dress I wore on our first date."
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Queen Elizabeth's opinion of the dress
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly disapproved of Meghan Markle's wedding dress. According to royal editor and biographer Ingrid Seward, the Queen thought Markle's dress was "too white" for a divorced woman remarrying in church. Seward wrote in her book, *My Mother and I*:
> "The Queen never voiced her true opinions except to her close confidants, such as Lady Elizabeth Anson, or Liza as she was known to her friends. 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, [the dress] was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church."
Royal observers noted the Queen's stern expression as she looked at Meghan in her wedding dress, describing it as a cutting two-word remark. However, despite her reported disapproval of the dress, the Queen lent Meghan some jewels for her wedding day, including Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara.
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Markle's styling choices
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label. Markle's gown was an exercise in simplicity, devoid of embellishment, crafted in white silk with precise seam work that helped create a fluted shape as she walked up the aisle. The gown featured an open boat neckline, a 16-foot silk train, and three-quarter-length "bracelet" sleeves. Markle's 16.5-foot silk tulle veil, which featured embroidered flowers representing the distinctive flora of all 53 Commonwealth countries, was also created with a special sentiment.
Markle's wedding dress was an act of royal rebellion. Prior to Queen Victoria, women wore their best dresses, no matter the colour, and royal brides married in silver or gold. Victoria wore white, which was followed by many royal brides after her, with very few exceptions—Meghan being one of them. Markle's dress was also unique in that it had no lace, embroidery, or any decorations, reflecting American fashion, which has always been more practical and less adorned than European fashions.
Markle's second dress was a Stella McCartney high-neck, halter dress for her reception, bringing a modern touch to traditional royal aesthetics.
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The dress's similarities to other royal wedding dresses
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label. The dress was crafted in white silk with precise seam-work that helped create a fluted shape as she walked up the aisle. It featured an open boat neckline, a 16-foot silk train, and three-quarter-length "bracelet" sleeves.
The dress was compared to Princess Margaret's Norman Hartnell silk organza dress, which was also simple and elegant. Markle's dress was also said to be similar to the Duchess of Cambridge's look, which was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.
Markle's dress was an exercise in simplicity, devoid of embellishment, and with a minimal and classic aesthetic. This set it apart from past royal bridal fashion trends, which often featured opulent lace and crystal embellishments.
- Jenny Yoo's slinky satin dress
- Anne Barge's form-fitting gown with a delightful drape detail
- Sareh Nouri's full princess skirt gown
- The Charlotte dress by Lihi Hod, which features a daring slit
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Frequently asked questions
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.
The dress was pure white, made of silk, with an open boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a 16-foot train. The dress was noted for its simplicity, with no lace, embroidery, or other decorations.
Meghan Markle's 16.5-foot silk tulle veil was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The veil also included a piece of the blue dress Markle wore on her first date with Prince Harry.
Reactions to Meghan Markle's wedding dress have been mixed. Some have described the dress as "gorgeous," "beautiful," and "stunning," while others have called it "ill-fitting" and "boring." Critics have noted that the dress is very simple compared to other royal wedding dresses.
