Franklin Dean
Princess Diana's wedding dress is one of the most iconic bridal looks of all time. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with its 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil, was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The dress was a closely guarded secret until the royal wedding ceremony in 1981, when Diana married Charles, Prince of Wales, at St Paul's Cathedral. The gown was valued at $43,573 in 2023 and was considered one of the most famous dresses in the world, setting wedding fashion trends that are still popular today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | David and Elizabeth Emanuel |
| Fabric | Ivory silk taffeta, antique lace |
| Embellishments | Sequins, 10,000 pearls, 18-karat gold horseshoe, Blue bow |
| Train | 25 feet |
| Veil | 153 yards of tulle |
| Shoes | Ivory silk slippers with 542 sequins and 132 pearls |
| Bouquet | Gardenias, lilies-of-the-valley, white freesia, golden roses, white orchids, and stephanotis |
| Tiara | Spencer family tiara |
| Date | 1981 |
| Location | St. Paul's Cathedral |
| Groom | Charles, Prince of Wales |
| Bride | Lady Diana Spencer |
| Dress Cost | $43,573 in 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, a husband-and-wife design team. The Emanuels were chosen by Diana herself, who had previously worn a blouse they designed for her engagement photoshoot. The dress was made of ivory silk, taffeta, and antique lace, with 10,000 pearls and sequins, and featured a 25-foot train and a ruffled collar and puffed sleeves. It was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history, with strict measures in place to ensure secrecy.
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 dress certainly made an impression, with over 750 million people tuning in to watch the wedding and millions more witnessing the event in London. The dress became one of the most famous in the world and set wedding fashion trends, with large puffed sleeves, full skirts, and soft-touch fabrics becoming popular requests.
The Emanuels also created a second, spare dress, which would have been used if the design of the main dress had been leaked before the wedding. This dress was made of pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves and featured a V-neck, three-quarter sleeves, and a wide skirt. The spare dress was never finished, and its whereabouts are currently unknown.
The original wedding dress toured for many years with the exhibition "Diana: A Celebration" and was displayed at Kensington Palace in 2021 as part of the "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition. The dress is now owned by Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, who received it from their mother's brother in 2014.
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It had a 25-foot train and 153-yard veil
Princess Diana's wedding dress is considered one of the most iconic wedding dresses of the 20th century. It was designed by husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel and was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard veil. The dress was valued at $43,573 in 1981 and an estimated $115,000 in subsequent years. The silk taffeta was specially woven and dyed ivory by Stephen Walters of Suffolk. The gown also featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, and a voluminous skirt.
The 25-foot train was the longest in royal wedding history. It was so long that Princess Diana had to be stuffed into her carriage on the way to St. Paul's Cathedral, as the excessive amount of fabric made it difficult for her to fit in the coach. The train was made of matching lace, created by Roger Watson Laces, one of their regular suppliers. This lace was also used in the bridesmaid dresses. The lace on the dress was from Queen Mary, and the Emanuels used their own antique lace to form the flounces. The gown was also embroidered with 10,000 pearls and thousands of sequins, including mother-of-pearl and iridescent sequins.
The 153-yard veil was made of tulle. Diana also had a parasol designed by the Emanuels in matching taffeta, in case of rain on the wedding day. The dress was so anticipated that the designers took several precautions to keep it a secret before the wedding. They put scraps of fabric that were not used in the actual dress in the garbage in case members of the press went looking for clues. Diana also had a backup dress that would have been used if the design of the original was leaked before the wedding.
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Princess Diana wore ivory silk shoes adorned with sequins and pearls
Princess Diana's wedding dress is considered one of the most iconic dresses of the 20th century. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown with its 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel. The gown was valued at £9,000 at the time of her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981.
The Emanuels also designed a pair of wedding shoes for Princess Diana, which were just as exquisite as the dress. The ivory silk slippers were adorned with 542 sequins and 132 pearls, centred around a heart-shaped design. The low-heeled shoes were created by celebrity cobbler Clive Shilton and took him six months to make.
The shoes also included a hidden message. The soles were hand-painted with the initials 'C' and 'D' for Charles and Diana, along with a floral motif and a gold heart. Diana's main concern while designing the shoes was that she wouldn't appear taller than Prince Charles. At 5'10", she was already very tall, so the shoes had to have a low heel.
The slippers were displayed at a preview of the travelling "Diana: A Celebration" exhibit at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2009.
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The dress was embroidered with 10,000 pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins
Princess Diana's wedding dress was a silk-and-taffeta gown, hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls. The dress was designed by former husband-and-wife duo 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," and which would be "suitably dramatic in order to make an impression."
The dress was valued at £9,000 at the time of the wedding, which equates to approximately $43,573 in 2023. The dress featured a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, which was the longest train and veil ever worn at a royal wedding. The dress was so long that the design team was unable to fully unravel it until the final fitting at Buckingham Palace. The train was so dramatic that even Princess Diana and her mother were stunned when they first saw it.
The dress was designed to reflect the heritage of the British royal family, as well as Princess Diana's personal preferences. Diana added personal touches to the dress, such as antique Carrickmacross lace from Queen Mary, a small blue bow sewn into the waist of her dress, and the Spencer family tiara. The dress also featured lace-trimmed puff sleeves and a ruffled neckline.
The dress sparked numerous copies, with the first copycat design hitting department stores just five hours after the royal ceremony. The dress toured for many years with the exhibition "Diana: A Celebration," and was later chosen as one of the "Most Influential British Royal Wedding Dresses of All Time" by Time magazine in 2018.
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Princess Diana had a back-up dress
Princess Diana's wedding dress is arguably the most iconic gown ever worn by a royal bride. The late princess's wedding ensemble is known as the most trendsetting and iconic bridal dress of all time. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with its 25-foot train and 153-yard tulle veil, was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history.
However, Princess Diana almost walked down the aisle in a different dress. Designers Elizabeth and David Emanuel, who designed the dress Princess Diana ultimately wore, also made a backup bridal gown in case of emergency. The backup dress had a few key differences from the original. It was bright white, had fitted sleeves instead of puffy ones, and no train. The gown did, however, share some features with the original, including a frilly neckline, ruffled cuffs, a voluminous skirt, a fitted bodice, delicate lace detailing, and intricate embroidery.
The backup dress was forgotten about and "vanished" for 43 years until Elizabeth Emanuel replicated it in 2024. It was on display for one night only at New York City's Fotografiska on May 21, 2024. The original dress was also put on display at Kensington Palace in 2021 as part of the "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition.
The Emanuels took every precaution to keep Diana's chosen dress safe and discreet, including hiring two security guards, locking it up in a metal cabinet, closing the shutters on their windows, and putting scraps of fabric in the garbage to throw journalists off the scent. They were preparing for every wedding disaster, including the dress being stolen, set on fire, or stained.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Diana's wedding dress train was 25 feet long.
Princess Diana's veil was 153 yards long.
Princess Diana's wedding dress was kept secret until her wedding day. The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who went to great lengths to keep the design under wraps. They even installed a safe to keep the designs and fabric swatches secure.
Princess Diana's wedding shoes took about six months to create. They were made by cobbler Clive Shilton and adorned with 542 sequins and 132 pearls.
