Deborah Chan
Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress is a topic of much interest, with its design and colour being of particular intrigue. The Queen's dress, designed by Norman Hartnell, was made of ivory silk satin and embellished with 10,000 seed pearls, crystals, and diamante. The dress featured a heart-shaped neckline, long sleeves, and a full skirt, with a dramatic train adorned with floral motifs. The choice of ivory fabric was significant, as it was carefully selected by the Queen's mother, who desired a rich and lustrous satin. This dress set a new standard for bridal style, with its intricate details and elegant silhouette. Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth also wore white to her son's wedding, sparking various theories about her choice of attire.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Ivory silk |
| Design | Botticelli-inspired, heart-shaped neckline, long tight sleeves, full skirt, train |
| Embellishments | 10,000 seed pearls, crystals, diamante, wheat ears (symbol of fertility) |
| Colour | White/Ivory |
| Designer | Norman Hartnell |
| Payment method | Clothing ration coupons |
| Date of wedding | November 1947 |
| Bride | Princess Elizabeth |
| Groom | Prince Philip |
| Location | Westminster Abbey |
| Footwear | Embellished satin heels by Edward Rayne |
| Tiara | Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara |
| Veil | Silk tulle |
| Jewellery | Double strand of pearls |
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What You'll Learn
- Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress was ivory silk with a heart-shaped neckline and long sleeves
- The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell and featured elaborate embroidery and embellishments
- Elizabeth saved clothing ration coupons to pay for her dress
- The final design was kept secret to prevent copies being made
- Queen Elizabeth II wore white to her son's wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles
Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress was ivory silk with a heart-shaped neckline and long sleeves
Princess 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 given the task just a month after Princess Elizabeth's engagement to Philip Mountbatten was announced in July 1947. The dress featured a heart-shaped neckline, long sleeves, and a 13-foot or 15-foot train. The silk was sourced from China, and the dress was embroidered with flower designs of jasmine, smilax, lilac, and white rose-like blossoms. The motifs were inspired by Botticelli's c. 1482 painting "Primavera," symbolising rebirth and growth after the war.
The creation of the dress was a challenging process due to the post-World War II rationing in the UK. Princess Elizabeth, then 21 years old, saved her ration coupons and was granted an additional 200 coupons by the government to purchase the materials. However, well-wishers from across the UK also sent their coupons, which sadly couldn't be used due to legal restrictions on coupon transfers between households.
The dress was designed to have a "'fit and flare' silhouette," with a high neckline, tailored bodice, and a short train. The bodice was fitted, and the skirt was full, leading to a dramatic train. The dress was embellished with flowing lines of wheat ears, the symbol of fertility, and worked in pearl and diamante. The final design was kept secret to prevent copies from being made and to allow for last-minute alterations.
Princess Elizabeth's wedding outfit was completed with a silk tulle veil secured by the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara and ivory duchesse satin high-heeled sandals trimmed with silver and seed pearl buckles, designed by Edward Rayne. The entire ensemble was a triumph, and the future Queen Elizabeth II was described as "a knockout" by her bridesmaid, Lady Pamela Hicks.
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The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell and featured elaborate embroidery and embellishments
Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, the royal dressmaker known for his elaborate embroidery. The dress was made of ivory silk satin and featured a heart-shaped neckline, long tight sleeves, and a full skirt. The silk was specifically chosen by the Queen Mother, who desired a "rich, lustrous stiff satin" that was made at Lullingstone Castle. The silkworms used to manufacture the silk were sourced from Nationalist China, avoiding the UK's enemies during the war.
The dress was embellished with 10,000 seed pearls, crystals, and diamante. The embroidery included wheat ears, the symbol of fertility, and floral motifs such as jasmine, smilax, lilac, and white rose-like blossoms. The train of the dress was made of satin, while the skirt was made of a more flexible material. The final design was kept secret to avoid copies, and the dress was taken to the palace in a 4-foot box the day before the wedding.
Hartnell's inspiration for the dress came from a Botticelli figure he saw in a London art gallery. The choice of ivory silk with floral designs and embellishments created a stunning and memorable gown. The dress has drawn comparisons to other iconic wedding dresses, such as Grace Kelly's in 1956 and Catherine Middleton's designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.
The creation of the dress was not without its challenges. Princess Elizabeth had to save up clothing coupons to purchase the dress, as wartime rationing was still in effect. Additionally, the weight of the embroidery caused strain on the fabric, and the choice of silk was later criticized as it deteriorated due to the weight of the embellishments.
Despite these challenges, the dress was considered a masterpiece. Hartnell himself called it "the most beautiful dress I ever made." The gown has become a symbol of royalty and elegance, with its intricate details and elegant design. It continues to inspire and influence bridal fashion even today.
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Elizabeth saved clothing ration coupons to pay for her dress
The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten in November 1947 came at a time of austerity in the UK, just two years after the end of World War II. The British government was still recovering from the Blitz and rationing was in effect for everyone, including the royal family. Princess Elizabeth saved her clothing ration coupons to purchase the material for her wedding dress. She was granted 200 extra coupons by the government for the celebration, but this was not enough to cover the cost of the dress. The public was so enamoured with the young royal that they sent her their coupons through the mail. However, she had to return these as it was illegal to transfer coupons between households.
The wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell and made from ivory silk, duchesse satin, and silver thread. The silk was sourced from Nationalist China, rather than the UK's enemies during the war, Japan and Italy. The dress featured a fitted bodice, a heart-shaped neckline, long sleeves, and a 15-foot train. It was embellished with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls, as well as a border of orange blossom appliquéd 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 creation of the dress was a speedy process, as it was designed within a month of the engagement news and completed in just seven weeks by a team of 350 women. Hartnell drew inspiration from the Botticelli figure, specifically the painting Primavera, which symbolised rebirth and growth after the war. The dress has drawn comparisons with the one worn by Grace Kelly in 1956 and the "Westminster décor" dress that Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen designed for Catherine Middleton.
Princess Elizabeth's decision to save clothing ration coupons for her wedding dress reflected the mood of the country at the time and provided a much-needed respite from the austerity that had been in place for over eight years. It also demonstrated her support for the public, who were facing the challenges of post-war rationing and recovery.
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The final design was kept secret to prevent copies being made
The wedding dress of Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, was designed by royal dressmaker Norman Hartnell. The dress was made of ivory silk and embellished with 10,000 seed pearls, diamante, and crystals. The silk was sourced from Nationalist China, rather than from the UK's enemies during the war, Japan and Italy. The dress featured a heart-shaped neckline, long tight sleeves, and a full skirt. The final design of the dress was kept a closely guarded secret, with only a few select individuals knowing the details.
There was much speculation and interest surrounding the dress, and Princess Elizabeth wanted to prevent copies from being made so that she could make last-minute alterations to the design. The dress was taken to the palace in a 4-foot box the day before the wedding. Elizabeth's wedding to Philip served as an escape from post-WWII austerity in the UK, and the future Queen had to save up clothing coupons to purchase her wedding dress. She was granted 200 extra ration coupons, but this was still not enough, and she had to save up her own coupons to make up the difference. Elizabeth's dress set a new bridal style where no detail went undone.
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Queen Elizabeth II wore white to her son's wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles
Queen Elizabeth II, the mother of King Charles III, wore white to her son's wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Consort, on April 9, 2005. This was Charles' second wedding, as his first was to the late Princess Diana. Elizabeth's outfit choice was a white overcoat with a matching white hat. This was a break from tradition, as white is usually reserved for the bride. Camilla, on the other hand, wore a pale blue chiffon gown with gold embroidery and a matching coat.
There has been much speculation about the reason for Elizabeth's choice to wear white to her son's wedding. One theory, which has gone viral, speculates that Elizabeth wore white to make a public statement about her support of Princess Diana. This theory is based on the observation that Diana wore a bright blue dress to her wedding to Charles, while Camilla wore a white dress as a guest. The theory suggests that Elizabeth, by wearing white to Camilla's wedding, was honouring Diana.
However, other sources dispute the claim that Camilla wore white to Diana's wedding. Princess Diana herself told her biographer that Camilla wore pale grey to her wedding. Nonetheless, the fact that Camilla attended Diana's wedding, and wore a white dress to her own, may have been the reason for Elizabeth's outfit choice.
Another theory for Elizabeth's white outfit is that she chose to wear white because Camilla was not wearing the traditional white wedding dress. According to Hello! magazine, Elizabeth often wore bold colours to weddings, and her choice of white may have been influenced by the colour of Camilla's dress.
Regardless of the reason for her outfit choice, Elizabeth's decision to wear white to her son's wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles has sparked much interest and debate.
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Frequently asked questions
Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress was ivory.
The dress was made of silk satin and was decorated with 10,000 seed pearls.
The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, who also designed the Queen Mother's wedding dress.
Queen Elizabeth married Prince Philip on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey.
