Rhiannon Hendricks
Royal weddings are known for their grandeur and opulence, and the bride's gown is often the most talked-about aspect of the celebration. The cost of a royal wedding dress can vary, but it's never going to be cheap. Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress, designed by Norman Hartnell, cost $42,000 in 1947, which is equivalent to $1.6 million today. Princess Diana's dress cost $118,000 in 1981, which is roughly $413,000 today. Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen wedding dress is estimated to have cost $332,000 in 2011, while Meghan Markle's dress reportedly cost about $265,000. Queen Letizia of Spain takes the title for the most expensive royal wedding gown in history, with a price tag of $8 million.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress designer | Norman Hartnell |
| Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress cost | $42,000 in 1947, equivalent to $1.6 million in 2025 |
| Princess Diana's wedding dress designer | David and Elizabeth Emanuel |
| Princess Diana's wedding dress cost | $118,000 in 1981, equivalent to $413,000 today |
| Princess Diana's wedding dress cost (another source) | $434,000 |
| Kate Middleton's wedding dress designer | Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen |
| Kate Middleton's wedding dress cost | $434,000 |
| Kate Middleton's wedding dress cost (another source) | $332,000 in 2011 |
| Meghan Markle's wedding dress designer | Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy |
| Meghan Markle's wedding dress cost | $265,000 |
| Meghan Markle's wedding dress cost (another source) | $135,000 |
| Meghan Markle's wedding dress cost (another source) | $270,000 |
| Zara Tindall's wedding dress cost | $8,356 in 2011 |
| Queen Letizia of Spain's wedding dress designer | Manuel Pertegaz |
| Queen Letizia of Spain's wedding dress cost | $8 million |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress cost
Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress, worn in 1947 when she was still Princess Elizabeth, was designed by Norman Hartnell. It was made of duchess satin and featured floral silk appliqués and a 13-foot silk train. The dress was designed with a heart-shaped neckline and long tight sleeves, and was paired with a carefully tailored bodice and full skirt. The gown was also embroidered with star lilies and orange blossoms, and embellished with 10,000 seed pearls.
The dress was paid for with clothing ration coupons, which the Princess saved up, along with a 200-coupon supplement from the government. Some young admirers of the Princess even sent their own coupons through the mail, though these were returned with thank you notes as transferring coupons was illegal.
The exact cost of the dress is unknown, but it was reportedly valued at $42,000 at the time, which would be equivalent to approximately $1.6 million today. An exact replica of the dress was made for the Netflix series The Crown, costing $37,000 and taking seven weeks to create.
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Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen gown
Royal wedding dresses have always captured the public's imagination. When Kate Middleton married Prince William on 29 April 2011, her wedding gown instantly became one of the most memorable royal wedding dresses of all time. Designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the dress reportedly cost $434,000. The Victorian-inspired lace wedding gown featured a lace-covered bodice with a plunging neckline and long sleeves, which flowed into a full organza skirt and train that stretched nearly nine feet. The dress also included a 16.5-foot veil, which took 3,900 hours to create as it was embroidered with the national flowers of all 53 Commonwealth countries.
Kate Middleton's wedding gown set a global trend for brides-to-be around the world, with H&M even creating an affordable version of the dress. The gown also gave birth to a working relationship between Kate and McQueen that has lasted over a decade. Alexander McQueen is now Kate Middleton's go-to fashion house, and she frequently opts for their clothing and accessories for high-profile events, overseas tours, and engagements.
While Kate Middleton's wedding dress was certainly expensive, it does not come close to being the priciest royal wedding dress. That title goes to Queen Letizia of Spain, whose wedding gown cost a whopping $8 million. Similarly, Meghan Markle's wedding dress reportedly cost about $265,000, and Princess Diana's iconic wedding dress cost $118,000 in 1981, which is roughly $413,000 today.
Queen Elizabeth's wedding gown is also worth mentioning. While it cost $42,000 in 1947, which is equivalent to $1.6 million today, the intricate embroidery and details of the dress required 25 needlewomen and 10 embroiderers to work on it.
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Meghan Markle's wedding dress
The dress was designed in Paris by a small team of ateliers and required eight fittings and five months of collaboration between Markle and the design team. Markle chose Waight Keller because she admired the designer's elegant aesthetic and relaxed demeanour. She also wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent and to embrace her new home in Britain.
The veil, which was 16 feet long, took 3,900 hours to create and was embroidered with the national flowers of all 53 Commonwealth countries, as well as the California poppy and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The veil was held in place by Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara, which was lent to Markle by the Queen.
Markle's wedding dress was notably simpler than previous royal gowns, with no lace, embellishments, or embroidered details. It drew inspiration from Audrey Hepburn's iconic Givenchy dress in the 1957 film Funny Face, as well as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wedding gown. The dress was met with some criticism, with comparisons drawn to Princess Kate's long-sleeved lace gown and Princess Diana's voluminous ball gown. However, it has also been described as "beautiful" and a "brilliant moment" for Waight Keller and Givenchy.
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Princess Diana's dress
Princess Diana's wedding dress, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, was an ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress, valued at £9,000 at the time of her wedding in 1981, is estimated to be worth $43,573 in 2023 or $413,000 today. The dress was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and featured an 18-karat gold horseshoe stitched into the petticoats for good fortune. It also had a "something blue" petite bow sewn into the waistband. The dress set wedding fashion trends, with its large puffed sleeves, full skirt, and soft-touch fabrics. It was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history and became one of the most famous dresses in the world.
The dress was so influential that it was chosen as one of the "Most Influential British Royal Wedding Dresses of All Time" by Time magazine in 2018 and was displayed at Kensington Palace as part of the "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition. The designers had to keep the dress a secret, and it was only fully revealed at the final fitting at Buckingham Palace. The train was so long that it had to be unraveled in one of the palace's corridors.
In addition to her iconic wedding dress, Princess Diana had a "caring dress," a floral gown she wore on official visits to hospitals and other places to cheer up sick patients with its bright colors. This dress was auctioned off in 2025 for over $500,000.
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Princess Eugenie's wedding dress
Royal wedding dresses have always been a subject of fascination for the public. Princess Eugenie's wedding dress was no exception. The Princess of York tied the knot in 2018, and her wedding dress was designed by British designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos of the London-based label Peter Pilotto.
The dress was developed layer by layer, starting with a corset and a complex underskirt, followed by a fitted bodice and a full pleated skirt. The neckline folded around the shoulders, leading to a low back that draped into a flowing full-length train. Princess Eugenie specifically requested the open-back design to reveal her scar from scoliosis surgery at age 12, stating in an interview before the wedding that it was important to "show people your scars".
The exact cost of Princess Eugenie's wedding dress is not publicly known. However, other royal wedding dresses have been reported to cost a fortune. For example, Meghan Markle's dress reportedly cost about $265,000, while Princess Diana's gown, which would cost approximately $413,000 today, was initially priced at $118,000 in 1981. Queen Elizabeth's 1947 wedding dress, designed by Norman Hartnell, is considered the priciest among British royalty, with a cost of $42,000, equivalent to $1.6 million today.
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Frequently asked questions
Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress cost $42,000 in 1947, which is equivalent to $1.6 million today.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress reportedly cost about $265,000, with some estimates placing it at around $135,600.
Kate Middleton's wedding dress cost an estimated $434,000, with some sources placing it at $332,000.
Princess Diana's wedding dress cost $118,000 in 1981, which is equivalent to roughly $413,000 today.
Queen Letizia of Spain's wedding dress is the most expensive royal wedding dress, costing $8 million.
