Rhiannon Hendricks
Princess Diana's wedding dress was put on display at Kensington Palace in 2021, 40 years after her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981. The exhibition, titled Royal Style in the Making, showcased the iconic ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, was loaned to the exhibition by Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and was on display until January 2022.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Exhibition | June 2021 |
| Location | Kensington Palace, London |
| Exhibition Name | "Royal Style in the Making" |
| End Date | January 2022 |
| Designer | David and Elizabeth Emanuel |
| Dress Details | Ivory silk taffeta gown with a 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil |
| Cost | $114,800 |
| Duplicate Displayed | Madame Tussauds |
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What You'll Learn
Princess Diana's wedding dress on display at Kensington Palace
Princess Diana's wedding dress is on display at Kensington Palace, her former home, for the first time in 25 years. The exhibition, called "Royal Style in the Making", opened on 3 June 2021 and continued until 2 January 2022. The dress was loaned to the exhibition by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and was displayed 40 years after her wedding to Prince Charles.
The dress was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, featuring a 25-foot (7.6m) sequin-encrusted train, a scooped neckline, puffed sleeves trimmed with bows, and deep ruffles of taffeta. The exhibition also includes original fashion sketches, unseen photographs from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, and never-before-seen items.
The exhibition explores the relationship between fashion designers and royal clients. It includes a rare surviving toile for the 1937 coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth's mother, the Queen Mother, designed by Madame Handley-Seymour. Other highlights include Princess Margaret's Georgian-style ballgown by Oliver Messel and a prototype garment of the Queen Mother's coronation dress.
The dress is usually kept in storage in Windsor Castle and is typically only shown once every five years due to the delicate nature of the fabric. The last time it was displayed was at Althorp House in 2016, almost a year after the royal's death.
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The dress was loaned by her sons, Princes William and Harry
Princess Diana's wedding dress was loaned by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, for an exhibition at Kensington Palace in 2021. The exhibition was titled "Royal Style in the Making" and showcased the famous ivory gown, which had a 25-foot train and was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The dress was worn by Diana when she married Prince Charles in 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral, and it has since become one of the most iconic bridal gowns in history.
The exhibition was held at the Kensington Palace Orangery and included other items loaned by Diana's sons, such as their mother's going-away dresses. It provided a unique opportunity to view the dress up close and was a tribute to their mother, who would have turned 60 that year. The exhibition sought to highlight memorable fashion designs in British royal history and was open to visitors until January 2, 2022.
The famous wedding dress had not been displayed in decades, and it was a significant event for those interested in fashion and royal history. The gown is valued for its intricate design, which includes antique lace, thousands of hand-embroidered sequins and pearls, and a dramatic train that broke records for its length in royal weddings. The exhibition also featured a video in which Elizabeth Emanuel recalled receiving a phone call from Diana, asking her and her then-husband to design the dress.
The dress was bequeathed by Diana to her sons in her will, and they officially inherited it in 2014 when Harry turned 30. The decision to loan out the dress for exhibition demonstrates the princes' willingness to share their mother's legacy with the public and allow people to appreciate the gown's beauty and historical significance. The exhibition also provided a space to reflect on Diana's life and her enduring impact on fashion and culture.
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The gown was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel
The iconic wedding dress of Lady Diana Spencer was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The Emanuels described the dress as something that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved". The designers also hoped that the dress would be "suitably dramatic in order to make an impression".
David and Elizabeth Emanuel were not the only designers considered for the task. Diana personally selected the couple as the designers of her wedding dress because she was fond of a chiffon blouse they designed for her formal photo session with Lord Snowdon. The Emanuels were inspired by the grandeur and rich heritage of the monarchy in their previous bridal designs. They were also inspired by paintings from artists such as Botticelli, Renoir, and Degas, as well as photographs of some of history's most romantic women. The Emanuels also consulted Maureen Baker, who had made Princess Anne's first wedding dress, during the construction of the gown.
The Emanuels' design for Diana's wedding dress was an ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot (7.6 m) train and a 153-yard (140 m) tulle veil. The gown was valued at £9,000 at the time, which would be equivalent to $43,573 in 2023. The silk taffeta was specially woven and dyed ivory and featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, and a voluminous skirt. The gown was decorated with hand embroidery, 10,000 pearls and sequins, and centred on a heart motif. The dress was also adorned with antique Carrickmacross lace that belonged to Queen Mary, as well as a blue bow inside the bodice as the bride's "something blue".
The gown was a defining moment in the Emanuels' career. Their profile soared, and they became household names. They were able to arrange licensing agreements for items such as perfume, linens, and sunglasses, and Emanuel's opinion on fashion and trends was often sought.
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$64.99 $69.99
It features a 25-foot train, the longest in royal history
Princess Diana's wedding dress, which she wore when she married Prince Charles in 1981, features a 25-foot train, the longest in royal history. The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who described it as a dress that "'had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved' and which would be 'suitably dramatic in order to make an impression'.
The 25-foot (7.6 m) train is made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, and is decorated with hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls, centring on a heart motif. The gown also features a 153-yard (140 m) tulle veil. The dress became one of the most famous in the world and is considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history.
The designers, David and Elizabeth Emanuel, recalled that they wanted the dress to be a surprise and so created a second gown for Diana's wedding day. This second gown, made from ivory silk taffeta without the antique lace, featured embroidery and tiny pearls sewn onto the bodice. The original gown, with its record-breaking 25-foot train, has since been displayed at various exhibitions, including "Royal Style in the Making" at Kensington Palace in 2021.
The dress has had a lasting influence on bridal fashion and continues to inspire designers and brides today. Replicas of the iconic gown surfaced just hours after the wedding, with manufacturers rushing to recreate the dress for a fraction of the cost. The Emanuels also received a boost in popularity and prestige, with the royal wedding dress remaining their most notable design.
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The dress was first displayed in 2021, 40 years after her wedding
Princess Diana's wedding dress was first put on display in 2021, 40 years after her wedding to Charles, the Prince of Wales. The exhibition, titled "Royal Style in the Making", was held at the Kensington Palace Orangery. It featured designs from notable figures in British royal history, including the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, and the Queen. Princess Diana's two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, loaned the dress to the exhibition, which opened a month before their mother's 60th birthday.
The iconic ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, featured a 25-foot (7.6-metre) train and a 153-yard (140-metre) tulle veil. It was valued at the time at £9,000, equivalent to $43,573 in 2023. The dress became one of the most famous in the world and was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history.
The Emanuels described the dress as something that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved, and which would be suitably dramatic in order to make an impression." The designers took several precautions to keep the dress a secret before the wedding, including putting scraps of unused fabric in the garbage to mislead the press.
Princess Diana's wedding dress has been exhibited previously, including at Madame Tussauds, and replicas have been created due to its immense popularity. However, the 2021 exhibition at Kensington Palace marked the first time in decades that the original dress was displayed, providing a special tribute to the late Princess on her birthday.
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Frequently asked questions
The dress was on display at Kensington Palace from June 2021 until January 2022.
The dress was displayed at the Kensington Palace Orangery as part of the "'Royal Style in the Making' exhibition.
The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, loaned the dress for the exhibition.
The dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-foot (7.6-meter) train and a 153-yard (140-meter) tulle veil.
