Bridesmaids' Style At The Royal Wedding

Royal weddings are steeped in tradition and extravagance, from towering cakes to bespoke designer bridal gowns. One of the most notable aspects of these weddings is the bridesmaids' attire. In this paragraph, we will explore the evolution of bridesmaids' fashion choices at royal weddings and the significance of their ensembles. From the lavish to the controversial, the bridesmaids at royal weddings never fail to make a fashion statement.

Royal bridesmaids often wear white

The tradition of royal bridesmaids wearing white has continued into the 21st century, with Pippa Middleton wearing a white Alexander McQueen gown when acting as maid of honour at the wedding of her sister, Kate Middleton, to Prince William. Princess Margaret's daughter, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, also had her bridesmaids dressed in ivory when she married Daniel Chatto in 1994.

However, this tradition is not always followed, and there have been several notable exceptions. For example, the bridesmaids at the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1981 wore ivory dresses with yellow sashes and floral headdresses. Similarly, at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in 2018, the bridesmaids wore mint green dresses.

The bride chooses how many bridesmaids to have

Royal weddings are steeped in tradition, but the number of bridesmaids is not one of them. The bride chooses how many bridesmaids to have, and this number is dependent on her preferences, the size of her family, and the number of attendants her partner would like to have.

Historically, the size of the retinue was closely calculated to be appropriate to the family's social status, with a large group of bridesmaids providing an opportunity to show off the family's wealth. In modern times, however, the number of bridesmaids is less about status and more about personal preference and the size of the wedding party.

In the case of royal weddings, it is common to have young teenagers and children as bridesmaids. For example, at the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Princess Charlotte was a bridesmaid, and at the wedding of King George V and Princess Mary of Teck, all of the King's sisters and nieces were bridesmaids.

While the number of bridesmaids is not set in stone, the duties of a bridesmaid are well-defined. These include attending the wedding ceremony, assisting the bride on the wedding day, and often helping with wedding planning and related events such as bridal showers and bachelorette parties.

The principal bridesmaid has a special role

The principal bridesmaid, also known as the chief bridesmaid, has a unique and important role in a wedding. She may also be called the maid of honour if she is unmarried, or the matron of honour if she is married. The principal bridesmaid's duties can be as varied as the bride chooses, but her only required duty is to participate in the wedding ceremony.

The principal bridesmaid is usually the bride's closest friend or sister, and she often has a special relationship with the bride. She is the bride's right hand, providing practical and emotional support on the day of the wedding. In the lead-up to the wedding, the principal bridesmaid is often asked to help with the logistics of the event, such as addressing invitations, and she may be asked to help the bride choose her wedding dress.

On the day of the wedding, the principal bridesmaid's duties might include assisting the bride with dressing, and helping her manage her veil, bouquet, prayer book, or the train of her wedding dress. In a double-ring wedding, the chief bridesmaid is often entrusted with the groom's wedding ring until the ceremony. Many brides also ask the principal bridesmaid to be a legal witness, signing the marriage license after the ceremony. If there is a reception, the principal bridesmaid may be asked to offer a toast to the newlyweds.

In the case of royal weddings, the principal bridesmaid's role can be even more prominent, given the scale and significance of these events. Royal weddings often have a large number of bridesmaids, which can be a way of showcasing the family's social status and wealth. The principal bridesmaid at a royal wedding may have additional responsibilities, such as coordinating the other bridesmaids and ensuring the event runs smoothly.

In terms of attire, the principal bridesmaid at a royal wedding typically wears a dress that complements the bride's gown. In the past, it was customary for royal bridesmaids to wear white, although more recently, we have seen royal bridesmaids in a variety of colours, such as peach, mint green, and cornflower blue.

Royal bridesmaids' dresses are often designed by famous fashion designers

At the wedding of King George V's son, Prince Henry the Duke of Gloucester, to Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, the bridal party's dresses were designed by Norman Hartnell, a London designer. Hartnell was also responsible for the wedding dress of Queen Elizabeth II when she married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark in 1947. The bridesmaids' dresses at this wedding were made of tulle with stars embroidered in swags and short shoulder capelets.

Another famous fashion designer who has dressed royal bridesmaids is Sarah Burton, who was the creative director of the Alexander McQueen fashion house in London at the time of Prince William and Princess Kate's wedding in 2011. The gown worn by Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, received a lot of attention for its figure-hugging silhouette.

It is worth noting that, traditionally, royal bridesmaids' dresses were always white, as it was once customary for the bridal party to wear the same colour as the bride. This tradition dates back to the belief that dressing in white would deter evil spirits. However, in recent years, some royal brides have opted for dresses in different colours, such as mint green and peach.

Royal bridesmaids are usually young teenagers or children

In 1885, all ten of Princess Beatrice's nieces were bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince Henry of Battenberg. The bridesmaids wore ivory gowns, while Princess Beatrice wore a lace dress passed down from her mother, Queen Victoria.

In 1893, King George V and Princess Mary of Teck had a grand wedding with ten bridesmaids, including all of the King's sisters and nieces.

In 1923, the Duke and Duchess of York continued the trend of large wedding parties, with eight bridesmaids, including Queen Mary's two nieces, Lady Mary Cambridge and Lady May Cambridge.

In 1935, a nine-year-old Princess Elizabeth, who later became Queen, was one of eight bridesmaids at her uncle's wedding to Princess Alice. Princess Elizabeth wore a dress designed by Norman Hartnell, who later designed her wedding dress and coronation gown.

In 1946, Princess Elizabeth served as a bridesmaid again, this time at Lord Brabourne and Patricia Mountbatten's wedding. A month later, she married Prince Philip, the first cousin of Lord Brabourne.

In 1947, when Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip, the bridesmaids' dresses were designed by Norman Hartnell and featured tulle gowns with embroidered stars and short shoulder capelets.

In 1950, Princess Margaret, the Queen's younger sister, was a bridesmaid at Margaret Elphinstone and Denys Rhodes' wedding.

In 1973, Princess Anne's wedding to Mark Phillips included Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, the nine-year-old daughter of Princess Margaret, as the only bridesmaid. Lady Sarah and Princess Anne wore matching Tudor-style dresses.

In 1981, at the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, now 17, was a bridesmaid again, joined by 13-year-old India Hicks. Their ivory, tiered dresses complemented the excess and opulence of the 1980s.

In more recent times, at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, the bridesmaids were styled by Sarah Burton, then the creative director of Alexander McQueen. While Kate's dress received much attention, her sister, Pippa Middleton, also stood out in a figure-hugging gown.

The tradition of young royal bridesmaids continues, with Princess Charlotte serving as a bridesmaid at the weddings of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2018, and Kate Middleton and Pippa Matthews in 2017.

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