The Sisterhood Behind Kate's Veil

Kate Middleton had four bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince William in 2011, though they are sometimes referred to as flower girls as none of them were adults. The bridesmaids included Lady Louise Windsor, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Grace van Cutsem, and Eliza Lopes.

Who were Kate Middleton's bridesmaids?

The then-Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, had four bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince William in 2011. None of the bridesmaids were adults, and they were sometimes referred to as flower girls. Here is a list of the four girls who made up the bridal party:

Lady Louise Windsor

Lady Louise, who was seven at the time of the wedding, is Prince William's cousin. She is the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Now 20, she has followed in the footsteps of Kate and William by studying at the University of St Andrews.

Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones

Lady Margarita, granddaughter of the late Princess Margaret and daughter of the Earl of Snowdon, was eight years old and the oldest of the bridesmaids. She has since been spotted at several high-profile royal occasions, including Queen Elizabeth's funeral and the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Grace van Cutsem

Grace, who is Prince William's goddaughter and the daughter of Hugh and Rose van Cutsem, was three years old when she attended the wedding. She became known as the "Grumpy Bridesmaid" or "Frowning Flower Girl" due to her covering her ears and scowling during the balcony kiss and RAF flyover.

Eliza Lopes

Eliza, the fourth bridesmaid, was also three years old and is the granddaughter of Queen Camilla. She is the daughter of Camilla's daughter, Laura Lopes, and Laura's husband, Harry.

How many bridesmaids did she have?

The number of bridesmaids at a wedding is always a tricky question, and when it comes to royal weddings, the pressure is on to get it right. So, how many bridesmaids did Kate Middleton have at her wedding to Prince William?

Kate had four bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince William in 2011. None of the bridesmaids were adults, and they were sometimes referred to as flower girls. The bridal party included one member of the immediate Royal Family, Lady Louise Windsor, who was seven years old at the time. Lady Louise is Prince William's cousin, and she has since followed in the Prince and Princess of Wales's footsteps by studying at the University of St Andrews.

The other three bridesmaids were Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Grace van Cutsem, and Eliza Lopes. Lady Margarita, who was eight years old at the time of the wedding, is the granddaughter of the late Princess Margaret and the daughter of the Earl of Snowdon. Grace van Cutsem, who was just three years old, stole the show with her grumpy expression on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, covering her ears as the newlyweds shared their first kiss. Eliza Lopes, also three years old, is the granddaughter of Queen Camilla and the daughter of Laura and Harry Lopes.

So, there you have it! Kate Middleton had four young bridesmaids at her wedding, including one cousin and two family friends, all of whom have grown up and are pursuing their own paths.

Why wasn't Pippa Middleton a bridesmaid?

Kate Middleton had four bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince William in 2011: Lady Louise Windsor, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Grace van Cutsem, and Eliza Lopes. Although none of the bridesmaids were adults, Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, played a prominent role in the wedding as her Maid of Honour.

Pippa Middleton was not a bridesmaid at her sister's wedding because Kate chose her to be the Maid of Honour instead. Lavinia Stewart-Brown, the founder and director of Lavinia Stewart-Brown Events, suggested that having a Maid of Honour is more of an American tradition that Kate adopted. Stewart-Brown also noted that "it's becoming more and more popular to stray from traditional wedding conventions, with a number of couples choosing to break the rules to make their big day their own."

As the Maid of Honour, Pippa took on traditional duties such as rounding up the page boys and flower girls and carrying the bride's train. She wore a floor-length Alexander McQueen gown with a draped neckline, echoing her sister's more elaborate McQueen confection.

In addition to Kate's possible admiration for American traditions and her desire to give her sister a stand-out role, it has also been suggested that traditionally, bridesmaids at royal weddings tend not to be adults. This was the case at Prince William and Kate's wedding, as well as at the weddings of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. However, by choosing her sister as her Maid of Honour, Kate may have set a new royal trend, as Princess Eugenie later did the same for her sister, Princess Beatrice.

Who was the 'Grumpy Bridesmaid'?

Who was the Grumpy Bridesmaid?

Little Grace van Cutsem stole the show at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011. Grace, who was just three years old at the time, earned the nickname "Grumpy Bridesmaid" after photos of her appearing less than impressed on the wedding day went viral. While the other bridesmaids eagerly watched the newlyweds, Grace covered her ears with a scowl on her face. The internet couldn't help but laugh at young Grace's realistic reaction to all the noise, and her behaviour became a memorable part of the day.

Grace is Prince William's goddaughter, and her father, Hugh van Cutsem Jr., is a close friend of his. She was front and centre on the royal wedding day, appearing in several photos with the family. Grace also walked hand in hand with the Duchess's sister, Pippa Middleton, and seemed confused as to why everyone was making such a big fuss and taking so many photos.

Grace isn't the only member of the Van Cutsem family who has served as a bridesmaid at a royal wedding. Her cousin, Florence van Cutsem, was a bridesmaid at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018.

Now a teenager, Grace has largely kept a low profile, with her parents appearing to keep her private on social media. However, her mother, journalist and entrepreneur Rose Astor, gave an interview in 2020 in which she discussed her career and her children. Astor shared that her main priority is her three children, and she wants them to be "happy, confident and have good manners and a work ethic".

What did the bridesmaids wear?

For her wedding to Prince William in 2011, Kate Middleton had four bridesmaids, including her sister, Pippa, who was her Maid of Honour. The other three bridesmaids were children: Lady Louise Windsor, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, and Grace van Cutsem. There were also two page boys, William Lowther-Pinkerton and Tom Pettifer, and two additional flower girls, Eliza Lopes and Margarita Armstrong-Jones.

The bridal party wore designs by Alexander McQueen. Kate's gown was an elaborate confection, while Pippa's dress was a floor-length, draped-neckline gown with lace and button details. The two adult women both wore white, with Pippa's dress echoing her sister's.

Lady Louise Windsor, who was seven at the time of the wedding, wore a flower crown and a dress with a cascading bouquet. Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, who was eight, also wore a flower crown and a dress with a full skirt. Grace van Cutsem, who was three, wore a flower crown and carried flowers in her lap while sitting with the bridal party. Eliza Lopes, also three, carried a bright pink wiggly worm toy, given to her by Harry, and a small bouquet of white flowers.

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