Rhiannon Hendricks
Princess Diana's wedding dress is considered one of the most iconic bridal looks of all time. Designed by husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown featured a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls, and was valued at $115,000. The dress sparked a trend for large puffed sleeves, full skirts, and soft touch fabrics, with copycat designs hitting stores within hours of the 1981 royal wedding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | David and Elizabeth Emanuel |
| Fabric | Silk, Taffeta |
| Embellishments | 10,000 pearls, sequins, frilled lace, antique lace from Queen Mary |
| Train | 25 feet |
| Veil | 153 yards of tulle |
| Back-up dress | Pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves |
| "Something Blue" | A petite blue bow sewn into the interior waistband |
| "Something Old" | Antique lace from Queen Mary |
| "Good Luck Charm" | An 18-carat gold horseshoe trinket studded with white diamonds |
| Value | $43,573 in 2023, estimated up to $115,000 |
| Date | 29 July 1981 |
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What You'll Learn
Design and creation
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by the British husband-and-wife duo, David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The Emanuels described the dress as something that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved" and would be "suitably dramatic in order to make an impression".
The ivory taffeta gown was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls. It featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, a voluminous skirt, and a dramatic 25-foot train—the longest in royal wedding history—and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress also included antique lace from Queen Mary as Princess Diana's "something old" and a petite blue bow sewn into the interior waistband as her "something blue". Diana also included an 18-carat white-diamond-studded gold horseshoe trinket as a hidden good luck charm.
The dress was a closely guarded secret and was not fully shown to Diana until the final dress fitting. The Emanuels also created a parasol in matching taffeta in case of rain, as well as a spare wedding dress in case the design was leaked before the wedding. The spare dress was made of pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves and shared some features with the main dress, including a V-neck, three-quarter sleeves, and a wide skirt.
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The dress' influence
Princess Diana's wedding dress is considered one of the most iconic and influential bridal gowns of all time. The dress, designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The silk-and-taffeta wedding dress was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls. It also featured lace-trimmed puff sleeves, a ruffled neckline, and a ball gown silhouette.
The dress was designed to be "dramatic" and "fairytale-like", reflecting the grandeur and romance of the occasion and the fact that Diana was entering the royal family as the likely future queen consort. The media and public were intensely interested in the wedding and, by extension, the dress, which was kept a closely guarded secret until the big day. The dress's designers went to great lengths to keep the details under wraps, even installing a safe to keep designs and fabric swatches secure.
The dress's influence was profound and lasting. It sparked copycats around the world, solidifying the over-the-top, frilly aesthetic that 1980s bridal fashion was known for. Even decades later, elements of the dress's design remain popular in bridal fashion, with some brides still chasing that fairytale dream. The dress has been described as the "gold standard" of bridal gowns, and its impact and cultural relevance have yet to be surpassed by any other royal bride.
Beyond its influence on bridal fashion, the dress also holds a special place in the history of the British royal family. It is a reminder of the fairy-tale romance between Diana and Prince Charles and the world's fascination with the royal family. The dress is also a testament to Diana's own sense of style and her impact on fashion, both within the royal family and beyond.
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The dress' value
Princess Diana's wedding dress is valued at an estimated $115,000. However, at the time of her wedding to Charles, the Prince of Wales, in 1981, it was valued at £9,000, which is equivalent to $43,573 in 2023. The dress was designed by the British designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who described it as a dress that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved".
The ivory taffeta gown was intricately embroidered with sequins, frilled lace, and 10,000 pearls. It featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, a voluminous skirt, and a dramatic 25-foot train—the longest in royal wedding history. The dress also included a petite blue bow sewn into the interior waistband as Diana's "something blue" and an 18-carat gold horseshoe trinket studded with white diamonds for good luck.
The dress became one of the most famous in the world, influencing bridal trends and cementing the over-the-top, frilly aesthetic of 1980s bridal fashion. The secrecy surrounding the dress until its dramatic unveiling on the wedding day only added to its allure, with reporters everywhere ripping open sealed envelopes to reveal the closely guarded secret on the morning of the wedding.
The Emanuels also created a matching taffeta parasol for Diana to use in case of rain and a spare wedding dress to be used if the design was leaked before the wedding day. The spare dress, made of pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves, shared some features with the main dress, including a V-neck, three-quarter sleeves, and a wide skirt.
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The dress' secrecy
The secrecy surrounding Princess Diana's wedding dress is one of the most intriguing aspects of her royal wedding to Prince Charles. The dress was designed by the British husband-and-wife duo, David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who described it as a dress that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved."
Diana personally selected the Emanuels as the designers because she admired a chiffon blouse they had previously designed for her. The Emanuels took several precautions to keep the dress a secret before the wedding. They even created a backup dress, which would have been used if the design of the main dress had been revealed before the wedding day. The backup dress was made of "pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves," and it shared some features with the main dress, including a V-neck, three-quarter sleeves, and a wide skirt.
The Emanuels also created a matching taffeta parasol for Diana to use in case of rain on her wedding day. The level of trust that Diana placed in the Emanuels was evident, and David Emanuel later referred to designing the dress as "the greatest job of his career."
The world finally got a glimpse of the iconic ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown on July 29, 1981, when Diana stepped out of Clarence House. The dress, valued at an estimated $115,000, featured a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, setting a new record for the longest train in royal wedding history. It was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls, and included a petite blue bow sewn into the waistband as Diana's "something blue."
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The back-up dress
On July 29, 1981, all eyes were on Lady Diana Spencer as she arrived at St Paul's Cathedral for her wedding to Prince Charles. Her wedding dress, with its billowing sleeves, full skirt, and elaborate lace, became one of the most iconic bridal gowns of all time. But what is lesser known is that there was also a back-up dress, created as a secret spare in case the design of the main dress was revealed before the big day.
The backup dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the same designers who created the iconic wedding dress. It was a very similar style to the main dress, with the same Victorian-inspired silhouette and romantic, ethereal feel. However, there were some key differences. The backup dress was made from a slightly heavier silk, and the skirt was less full, with a more streamlined shape. The bodice had a higher neckline and longer sleeves, and the lace was a simpler, more modern design.
Like the main dress, the backup also had a long train, but it was detachable, so the dress could be transformed for the reception. The backup dress was never intended to be seen, and it was kept a closely guarded secret, with only a few fittings and alterations taking place. It was kept at the Emanuel's studio, locked away, and only a handful of people knew of its existence.
On the day of the wedding, the backup dress remained untouched and unseen, as the main dress was, of course, the one that made its way down the aisle. But the backup dress remains a fascinating part of royal wedding history, a reminder of the meticulous planning and attention to detail that goes into these grand occasions, and a beautiful creation in its own right. It is a unique piece of fashion history, a 'what might have been' moment, and a testament to the skill and creativity of the designers.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Diana's wedding dress was an ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. It was valued at the time at £9,000 (equivalent to $43,573 in 2023). The dress was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls. It featured lace-trimmed puff sleeves, a ruffled neckline, and a ball gown silhouette.
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by the former husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel. Princess Diana personally selected the designers because she was fond of a chiffon blouse they had previously designed for her.
Princess Diana had a back-up wedding dress in case the design of the main dress was leaked to the public before her wedding day. The spare dress was made out of "pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves."
Princess Diana's wedding dress included a petite blue bow sewn into the interior of the gown's waistband as her "something blue." It also included antique lace from Queen Mary as her "something old." Additionally, she included an 18-carat gold horseshoe trinket studded with white diamonds as a hidden good luck charm.
