George Boyle
Royal weddings are a spectacle to behold, with the world watching and scrutinising every detail, from the dress to the ceremony. With the pressure to make a fairytale-like entrance, royal brides go all out, often opting for extravagant gowns adorned with jewels and intricate details. From Princess Diana's iconic silk-and-taffeta creation with its 25-foot train to Queen Soraya of Iran's heavy dress embellished with 6,000 diamonds and 20,000 feathers, these weddings and their dresses have left an impact. More recently, Meghan Markle's minimalist wedding dress and Princess Beatrice's intimate ceremony during the COVID-19 pandemic also captured the world's attention. With each royal wedding, the public is treated to a unique blend of tradition, opulence, and personal style, creating lasting memories and inspiring trends for years to come.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Royal wedding dress designer | Alexander McQueen, Norman Hartnell, Viktor & Rolf, Emilia Wickstead, Christian Dior, Pär Engsheden, Uffe Frank, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Helen Rose, Valentino, Manuel Pertegaz, Elie Saab, Givenchy, Mainbocher, Schiaparelli, Luisa Beccaria |
| Royal wedding dress details | Ivory, pearls, lace, silk, tulle, floral embroidery, diamond scroll tiara, yellow sash, 16-foot train, 19-foot train, 25-foot train, 10,000 micro-pearls, 6,000 diamonds, 20,000 feathers, 37 yards of silver lamé, off-the-shoulder, detachable train, gold embroidery, 12 layers of silk |
| Royal wedding ceremony details | Duchess of Cambridge, Princess of Wales, Princess Eugenie of York, Princess Diana, Duchess of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Princess Margaret, Princess Victoria of Sweden, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, Princess Josephine-Charlotte, Princess Mabel van Oranje, Princess Grace Kelly, Duchess of Windsor, Queen Soraya of Iran, Princess Anne Marie, Princess Charlotte Wellesley |
| Public opinion | 59% of people "adored it" while 41% were "not feeling it" |
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What You'll Learn
Kate Middleton's wedding dress
The dress was a fitted white V-neck gown with a long-sleeved lace overlay. The lace appliqué on the skirt and bodice was handmade by the Royal School of Needlework, using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique. The dressmakers hand-cut lace flowers, including roses, thistles, daffodils, and shamrocks, which were individually added onto ivory silk tulle. The lace was sourced from three companies: Sophie Hallette and Solstiss in France, and the Cluny Lace Company in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. The majority of the dress was made using Solstiss lace, specifically the skirt and train.
The dress was full of meaningful messages and hidden details. For her "something blue", Burton sewed a blue ribbon into the interior of the dress, and Kate's "something borrowed" was the Cartier Halo tiara, which was lent to her by Queen Elizabeth. The tiara featured 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 139 baguettes and was commissioned by King George VI in 1936 for his wife, the Queen Mother.
The dress was widely anticipated and generated much comment in the media, with fashion experts noting its traditional design and expected influence on Western bridal gown trends. Replicas of the dress were produced and sold, and the original dress was on display at Buckingham Palace in 2011, attracting more than 600,000 people.
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Meghan Markle's wedding dress
The dress received mixed reviews, with some describing it as "beautiful" and "stunning" while others called it "boring", "ill-fitting", and "too big". Celebrity commentators, fashion editors, and social media users criticised the dress's cut, shape, and fabric, with some comparing it to a nightgown. However, designer Elizabeth Emanuel, who co-designed Princess Diana's wedding gown, felt that the dress made a "solid fashion statement" and that Waight Keller should be pleased as Markle looked "absolutely stunning and beautiful".
Markle's choice of a simple, elegant gown was a departure from traditional royal wedding dresses, such as those worn by Kate Middleton and Princess Diana. This flipping of the script was seen as a powerful statement, with Markle appearing to be in control of her wedding and making both fashion and political statements. The dress also nodded to Hollywood and American royalty, reflecting Markle's background as an actress and American citizen.
Following the ceremony, Markle changed into a second wedding dress, a Stella McCartney high-neck, halter-neck sheath gown, which she wore to the evening reception. This dress brought a modern touch to traditional royal aesthetics and was described as having a "sleek silhouette" and "refined glamour".
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Princess Diana's wedding dress
The dress was first revealed to the public on Princess Diana's wedding day when she married Charles, Prince of Wales, at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981. The dress was a closely guarded secret until its dramatic unveiling, and even the design team was not able to fully show Diana the dress and train until the final fitting at Buckingham Palace. The dress was so voluminous that Diana had to be stuffed into her carriage on the way to the cathedral, and the excessive fabric caused wrinkles on the dress.
The dress was intricately embroidered with sequins, frilled lace, and 10,000 pearls. The lace used for the trim was antique and handmade, and a square of Carrickmacross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary was attached to the gown. An 18-karat gold horseshoe was stitched into the petticoats as a sign of good fortune, and a small blue bow was sewn into the waistband as Diana's "something blue." The designers also attached an 18-karat gold trinket studded with white diamonds to the label as a good luck charm.
The dress set wedding fashion trends, and many bridal experts considered it a "gold standard" in wedding fashion. Copies of the dress were available within hours of the wedding, and it continues to inspire replicas today. The 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. In 2018, Time magazine chose it as one of the "Most Influential British Royal Wedding Dresses of All Time."
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Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress
Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress, worn in 1947 when she married Prince Philip, was designed by Norman Hartnell. The dress was made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. The design also included crystals, a fitted bodice, a heart-shaped neckline, long sleeves, and a 15-foot train. The silk was sourced from China, and the dress was created by a team of 350 women in just seven weeks. The final cost of making the dress in modern times is estimated to be around $37,000.
The dress was a significant departure from the austerity of post-WWII Britain, where clothing rationing was still in effect. Princess Elizabeth saved her ration coupons and was granted an additional 200 coupons by the government to purchase the materials for her dress. However, she received many more coupons from well-wishers across the UK, which she had to return as it was illegal to transfer coupons between households.
The design of the dress was kept secret until the wedding day, as the princess wanted to avoid fashion houses creating copies and wanted to be able to make last-minute alterations. The dress was delivered to the palace in a 4-foot box the day before the wedding. On the big day, the dress glittered with its bejewelled pearls and diamante, skillfully combined with flowing lines of wheat ears, a symbol of fertility. The gown has drawn comparisons to the dresses worn by Grace Kelly and Catherine Middleton.
The Queen's bridesmaids recalled that she was "a knockout" on her wedding day, and the dress was considered a huge success. The royal wedding served as an escape from the post-war austerity and provided a much-needed boost to the morale of the British people. The wedding cake stood at an impressive 9 feet tall, and the floral arrangements included three kinds of British-grown orchids and a sprig of myrtle from Princess Victoria's wedding bouquet.
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Princess Beatrice's wedding dress
Princess Beatrice's decision to wear a vintage gown was a break from past royal brides, who usually enlist a couturier to craft a custom garment. The choice to borrow Queen Elizabeth's dress was a historic one, as Princess Beatrice was the first royal bride to wear a secondhand dress for her wedding. The gown was previously worn by the Queen to the premiere of 'Lawrence of Arabia' in 1962 and was designed by Hartnell, a famous 20th-century British designer who often worked with the royal family.
The wedding itself was a beautiful and intimate ceremony that took place in July 2020. The couple, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, originally planned to wed at Buckingham Palace but had to scale down their nuptials and eventually cancel the ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. Official wedding photographs by Benjamin Wheeler revealed the dress had a conservative, angular neckline, and a hem that gave a tiny peek at the Princess's Valentino wedding shoes.
Reviews of Princess Beatrice's wedding dress were largely positive, with fans of the royal family and the press creating a big buzz around the unique choice. Princess Diana's wedding gown designer, David Emanuel, told Hello! magazine that Beatrice's dress was "very simple and natural" and that it could potentially start a trend of second-use wedding dresses. However, some people may have found the dress too simple, as a poll on Instagram Stories showed that while 59% of voters adored the dress, 41% were "not feeling it".
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Frequently asked questions
Some of the most iconic royal wedding dresses include:
- Princess Diana's silk-and-taffeta gown, featuring a 25-foot train and 10,000 pearls, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
- Queen Elizabeth's (then a princess) gown, designed by Norman Hartnell, featuring Chinese silk and a 15-foot train with over 10,000 pearls.
- Queen Soraya of Iran's dress, constructed by Christian Dior, featuring 6,000 diamonds, 20,000 maribou feathers, and 37 yards of silver lamé.
- Princess Kate Middleton's dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, featuring French Chantilly lace and a nearly 9-foot-long train.
- Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco's dress, designed by Academy Award-winning costume designer Helen Rose, featuring an embroidered pearl and Brussels lace bodice.
Royal wedding dresses often feature exquisite and intricate details, such as:
- Elaborate trains: Some royal brides opt for dramatic trains, with lengths ranging from 9 to 25 feet. These trains are often embellished with intricate details like lace, pearls, or feathers.
- Precious materials: Royal wedding dresses may incorporate luxurious fabrics such as silk, taffeta, lace, and satin. Some dresses even feature real gold embroidery.
- Bespoke designs: Many royal wedding gowns are custom-made, ensuring a unique and personalized look for the bride.
- Sparkling embellishments: Diamonds, pearls, and other sparkling embellishments are commonly used to add a regal touch to royal wedding dresses.
- Family heirlooms: Some royal brides choose to incorporate family heirlooms into their ensembles, such as tiaras, veils, or jewellery passed down through generations.
Royal weddings often incorporate cultural traditions, especially when there is a union between two individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Here are a few examples:
- Masenate Mohato Seeiso, who married King Letsie III of Lesotho, wore a sparkly long-sleeved ball gown with beaded embellishments, including some shaped like crowns. She paired her dress with a jewel-encrusted tiara, diamond drop earrings, and a diamond necklace.
- Sarah Salleh, who wed the Crown Prince of Brunei, Al-Muhtadee Billah, wore a floral Malay outfit in blue, red, and gold. She accessorized with a bejeweled headscarf, diamond shoes, and a bouquet that included gold and diamonds.
- Princess Marie-Chantal, who married Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, wore an ivory silk Valentino gown with a structured boned bodice and magnificent embroidery.
