Lyla Dejesus
Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress, worn when she married Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, was a stunning gown made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. The dress, which featured a heart-shaped neckline, long sleeves, and a full skirt, was designed by Norman Hartnell and required 25 needlewomen and 10 embroiderers to create. The dress reportedly weighed a ton, with the weight of the embroidery causing strain on the weave and dragging the skirt down.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of wedding | 20 November 1947 |
| Designer | Norman Hartnell |
| Fabric | Ivory silk |
| Details | Embellished with 10,000 seed pearls, embroidered with star lilies, orange blossoms, jasmine blossoms, roses, and ears of wheat |
| Cost | $42,000 (approximately $1.6 million today) |
| Time taken to make | Seven weeks |
| Paid with | Clothing ration coupons |
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What You'll Learn
The dress was paid for with clothing ration coupons
In 1947, two years after the end of World War II, Britain was still recovering from the conflict. Food and clothing were rationed, and the royal family was not exempt from this. Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen, had to pay for her wedding dress with clothing ration coupons, which she saved up until she had enough to pay for the gown. The government also provided her with a 200-coupon supplement.
When some of Princess Elizabeth's young admirers heard about the rationing, they tried to send her their coupons. However, transferring coupons was illegal, so they were returned with a thank-you note, and the princess paid for her gown herself.
The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, who had made gowns for film stars and royals. The gown was made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. It featured a heart-shaped neckline, long sleeves, a carefully tailored bodice, and a full skirt that led to a dramatic 15-foot train. The design was kept secret until the wedding day, when the dress glittered, bejewelled with pearls, crystal, and diamante.
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It was designed by Norman Hartnell
Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, the royal dressmaker known for his elaborate embroidery. The design of the dress was approved just three months before the wedding, leaving Hartnell and his team little time to create the intricate gown. The final design was kept secret, although there was much speculation surrounding it.
Hartnell's search for suitable designs in London art galleries led him to Botticelli's figure as inspiration. The gown was made from ivory silk with flower designs of jasmine, smilax, lilac, and white rose-like blossoms added to the train, embellished by white crystals and pearls. These motifs were transferred to drawings to enable embroidery experts to work on them. The dress featured a heart-shaped neckline and long tight sleeves, with a full skirt that led to a dramatic 15-foot train.
The silk cloth was chosen at the specific request of the Queen Mother, who desired an "unusually rich, lustrous stiff satin which was made at Lullingstone Castle". The silkworms to manufacture the silk were bought from Nationalist China, not from Japan or Italy, the UK's enemies during World War II. Satin was chosen for the train, and a more flexible material of the same tone was selected for the dress.
The gown was embroidered with star lilies and orange blossoms, and encrusted with 10,000 seed pearls. The weight of the embroidery dragged the skirt down, increasing the strain on the weave. A border of orange blossom was appliqued with transparent tulle outlined in seed pearls and crystal. The dress glittered, bejewelled with pearls "skillfully combined with flowing lines of wheat ears, the symbol of fertility, and worked in pearl and diamante".
Hartnell also designed the bride's satin sandals, made by Rayne. The silver buckles were studded with small pearls.
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It featured a heart-shaped neckline and long sleeves
The wedding dress of Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth) featured a heart-shaped neckline and long sleeves. The gown was designed by Norman Hartnell, who was announced as the designer of the dress three months before the wedding. The dress was made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. It was also embroidered with star lilies, ears of wheat, and orange blossoms. The silk cloth was chosen at the specific request of Queen Elizabeth's mother, who desired an "unusually rich, lusturous stiff satin which was made at Lullingstone Castle". The silkworms to manufacture the silk were bought from Nationalist China, not from Japan or Italy, which were enemies of the UK during World War II.
The dress featured a full skirt, which led to a dramatic 15-foot train that trailed after the soon-to-be queen. The weight of the embroidery dragged the skirt down, increasing the strain on the weave. A border of orange blossom was appliqued with transparent tulle outlined in seed pearls and crystal. The dress glittered, bejewelled with pearls, "skilfully combined with flowing lines of wheat ears, the symbol of fertility, and worked in pearl and diamante".
The gown was an expensive and elaborate piece, requiring 25 needlewomen and 10 embroiderers to work on it. At the time of her marriage to Prince Philip, the United Kingdom was still recovering from World War II, and rationing was in effect. Princess Elizabeth saved up clothing coupons to purchase her wedding dress, and was granted 200 extra coupons by the government. The final price tag of the dress was $42,000, equivalent to approximately $1.6 million today.
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It was made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls
Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress was a stunning gown made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, who was announced as the designer of the Princess's gown just three months before the wedding. Hartnell's embroiderers set to work, creating a gown with a heart-shaped neckline and long, fitted sleeves. The dress was paired with embellished satin heels made by Edward Rayne and a double strand of pearls and a diamond tiara.
The silk cloth was chosen at the specific directive of the Queen Mother, who desired an "unusually rich, lustrous stiff satin which was made at Lullingstone Castle". The silkworms to manufacture the silk were bought from Nationalist China, not from Japan or Italy, the UK's enemies during the war. The dress's full skirt led to a dramatic 15-foot train that trailed after the soon-to-be Queen.
The gown was embroidered with star lilies and orange blossoms, as well as ears of wheat, the symbol of fertility. The weight of the embroidery dragged the skirt down, increasing the strain on the weave. A border of orange blossom was appliqued with transparent tulle outlined in seed pearls and crystal. The final design of the dress was kept secret, although there was much speculation surrounding it.
The dress was an expensive and elaborate piece, requiring 25 needlewomen and 10 embroiderers to work on it. The final price tag was $42,000, equivalent to approximately $1.6 million today. To pay for the dress, Princess Elizabeth reportedly turned to rationing coupons, saving up her clothing coupons to purchase the gown. She was granted 200 extra ration coupons for the celebration, and some members of the British public even sent her their coupons in hopes of contributing to the making of her gown.
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It was paired with embellished satin heels and a diamond tiara
Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress was a stunning gown made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. The gown was designed by Norman Hartnell, who was inspired by a Botticelli figure he saw in a London art gallery. The dress featured a heart-shaped neckline, long tight sleeves, and a full skirt. It was paired with embellished satin heels and a diamond tiara.
The satin heels that accompanied the wedding dress were designed by Hartnell and made by Edward Rayne. The shoes featured silver buckles studded with small pearls. The diamond tiara, along with a double strand of pearls, completed the bridal look.
The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip took place in November 1947, only two years after World War II ended. The dress was designed only three months before the wedding, and its final design was kept secret. The soon-to-be Queen paid for her dress using clothing ration coupons, which were still in effect due to post-war austerity.
The weight of the wedding dress is not known, but it was likely quite heavy due to the extensive embroidery and embellishments. The dress required the work of 25 needlewomen and 10 embroiderers. The weight of the embroidery even caused some strain on the weave of the skirt.
The wedding dress of Princess Elizabeth set a new bridal style and became a global trendsetter. It was an expensive and elaborate piece, costing approximately $42,000 at the time, which is equivalent to about $1.6 million today.
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