
Princess Beatrice wore a vintage gown by Norman Hartnell on her wedding day, on loan from her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. The dress was made from Peau De Soie taffeta and trimmed with Duchess satin, featuring organza sleeves and diamanté adornments. This was a break from past royal brides, who usually opt for custom-made gowns. The decision to wear a second-hand dress was an impromptu one, as Beatrice initially had a change of heart about her original wedding dress.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | Norman Hartnell |
| Fabric | Peau De Soie taffeta, organza, Duchess satin |
| Adornments | Diamanté |
| Colour | Ivory |
| Type | Vintage |
| Owner | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Tiara | Queen Mary's diamond fringe tiara |
| Bouquet | Trailing jasmine, pale pink and cream sweet peas, royal porcelain ivory spray roses, pink O'Hara garden roses, pink wax flower and baby pink astilbe |
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What You'll Learn

Princess Beatrice's vintage wedding dress
Princess Beatrice wore a vintage wedding dress by Norman Hartnell, on loan from her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in July 2020. The dress was made from Peau De Soie taffeta in shades of ivory and trimmed with ivory Duchess satin. It featured organza puff sleeves, diamanté adornments, and a checked, geometric bodice.
The vintage gown was first worn by Queen Elizabeth II to the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia in London in 1962. Princess Beatrice's choice to wear a second-hand dress was a break from past royal brides, who usually work with a designer to craft a custom garment. The dress was remodelled and fitted by the Queen's trusted dressmakers, Angela Kelly and Stewart Parvin, to flatter Princess Beatrice's figure.
Princess Beatrice also wore the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara, which was the same diamond fringe piece that the Queen wore to marry the Duke of Edinburgh. The tiara was originally given to Queen Mary as a wedding present by Queen Victoria. In another nod to her grandmother, Princess Beatrice chose a bouquet of trailing jasmine, pale pink and cream sweet peas, royal porcelain ivory spray roses, pink O'Hara garden roses, pink wax flowers, and baby pink astilbe, departing from the all-white bouquets typically carried by royal brides.
Princess Beatrice's choice of a vintage wedding dress was reportedly an impromptu decision. She is said to have had a last-minute change of heart regarding her wedding dress and reached out to her grandmother to borrow an ensemble. The dress was put on display at Windsor Castle several months after the wedding.
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The gown was on loan from Queen Elizabeth
Princess Beatrice wore a vintage gown on loan from Queen Elizabeth for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell and first worn by the Queen to the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia in 1962. It is made from Peau De Soie taffeta and trimmed with Duchess satin. The original gown was modified for Princess Beatrice, with the addition of organza sleeves and an ivory panel to the bottom of the dress.
The decision to borrow a vintage gown from her grandmother was a break from tradition for a royal bride. Usually, royal brides work with a designer to create a custom garment, a process that can take months of fittings. Princess Beatrice's choice to wear a second-hand dress was a unique and sustainable decision that set her gown apart from the more modern choices of her peers. It also paid tribute to her royal heritage, as she paired the dress with Queen Mary's diamond fringe tiara, which the Queen wore on her own wedding day.
Norman Hartnell was a sought-after designer in the 20th century and a favourite of the Windsors. He designed Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress and coronation gown, as well as Princess Margaret's wedding dress and other important royal garments. Hartnell's designs often featured motifs that were symbolic of the nation's post-war rebirth, such as garlands of jasmine, lilacs, and roses embroidered in silver thread.
Princess Beatrice's choice to borrow a gown from Queen Elizabeth was reportedly a last-minute decision. A friend close to the princess told People, " [Beatrice] made a request [to borrow one from the Queen], and that was kindly granted—and it looked amazing! Beatrice talks about her grandmother often, and it's clear there's a strong bond there—the dress and the tiara could not have been more perfect." The gown was later put on display at Windsor Castle, where Beatrice said it was an honour to wear her grandmother's dress.
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Designed by Norman Hartnell
Princess Beatrice wore a vintage wedding dress designed by Norman Hartnell. The dress was on loan from the Queen, who wore it to the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia at the Odeon in Leicester Square, London, in 1962. The gown was made from Peau De Soie taffeta and trimmed with Duchess satin. It was encrusted with diamanté and featured organza sleeves.
Hartnell was a sought-after designer in the 20th century and a favourite of the Windsors. He designed Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress and coronation gown, as well as Princess Margaret's wedding dress and other important royal garments.
Princess Beatrice's decision to wear a vintage gown was a break from recent royal wedding trends, where the bride typically works with a designer to create a custom garment. Beatrice's choice of a second-hand dress was a uniquely classic throwback, setting her gown apart from the sleeker, more modern choices of her peers.
The Queen's original gown was modified for Princess Beatrice. The two main changes were the addition of organza sleeves and an ivory Duchess satin panel at the bottom of the dress. The Queen's dresser, Angela Kelly, helped to fit the dress to the bride's exact measurements.
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The dress was originally worn by Queen Elizabeth in 1962
Princess Beatrice wore a vintage wedding dress by Norman Hartnell, on loan from Queen Elizabeth, for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The dress was originally worn by Queen Elizabeth in 1962 to the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia at the Odeon in Leicester Square, London.
The dress was made from Peau De Soie taffeta and trimmed with Duchess satin. It featured organza sleeves, diamanté adornments, and a checkered, geometric bodice. The gown was remodelled by Angela Kelly and Stewart Parvin, who regularly work with the Queen, to fit Princess Beatrice's exact measurements. The main changes made to the dress were the addition of organza sleeves and an ivory Duchess satin panel at the bottom.
Princess Beatrice's decision to wear a vintage gown from her grandmother's closet was a unique choice that set her apart from other royal brides who typically wear custom-made dresses. Her choice was also seen as a sweet nod to her royal heritage and a tribute to her grandmother, with whom she shares a strong bond.
The dress has been described as "stunning" and "exquisite", and it has created a buzz among fans of the royal family and the press. It was considered a historic decision, as Princess Beatrice was the first royal bride to wear a secondhand dress for her wedding. The dress has been praised for its simplicity and natural look, and it has reportedly started a trend for second-use wedding dresses.
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Beatrice's wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Beatrice wore a vintage wedding dress by Norman Hartnell, on loan from Queen Elizabeth, for her July 2020 wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The dress was made from Peau De Soie taffeta and organza, trimmed with Duchess satin, and encrusted with diamanté. The gown was first worn by the Queen to the premiere of Lawrence of Arabia in London in 1962.
Princess Beatrice's choice to wear a vintage gown from her grandmother was reportedly a last-minute decision. The Princess had a change of heart regarding her wedding dress and reached out to the Queen to see if she could borrow a dress. The Queen's dresser, Angela Kelly, helped to fit the dress to the bride's exact measurements and added organza puff sleeves. The two main changes made to the dress were the addition of the organza sleeves and an ivory Duchess satin panel at the bottom of the dress.
Princess Beatrice's wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi was announced in September 2019. The couple first scaled down their May 2020 nuptials, scrapping the original Buckingham Palace reception, and then had to cancel their ceremony altogether due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The wedding eventually took place in July 2020, in accordance with all relevant government guidelines. The Reverend Canon Paul Wright, sub-dean of the Chapel Royal, led the wedding ceremony along with the Reverend Canon Martin Poll, domestic chaplain to the Queen.
Princess Beatrice's wedding dress was distinct from the more modern and sleek gowns worn by her peers. It was also a break from the tradition of royal brides enlisting a couturier to craft a custom garment. Princess Eugenie, for example, wore a custom gown by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. Princess Beatrice's choice of a vintage gown set her apart and potentially started a trend for second-use wedding dresses.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Beatrice wore a vintage dress on loan from her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, a sought-after designer in the 20th century and a go-to for the Windsors.
The dress was made from Peau De Soie ivory taffeta and was trimmed with Duchess satin. It featured organza sleeves and diamanté adornments.
Princess Beatrice's choice to wear a vintage gown was reportedly an impromptu decision. She had a last-minute change of heart and reached out to her grandmother to see if she could borrow a dress.











































