Deborah Chan
Princess Diana's wedding dress is one of the most famous dresses in the world and is considered one of the most iconic wedding dresses of the 20th century. The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel and was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress was on display at the Royal Style in the Making exhibition at Kensington Palace, which closed in January 2022. The Princess Diana Museum in Las Vegas also features a replica of the wedding dress, as well as other items from her wedding day. The original dress was also exhibited at the Diana: A Celebration exhibit, which toured various locations, including the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2009, and the Spencer's Althorp estate from 1998 to 2014.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding dress designer | David and Elizabeth Emanuel |
| Wedding dress material | Ivory silk taffeta and antique lace |
| Wedding dress length | 25-foot train |
| Wedding dress veil | 153 yards of ivory silk tulle |
| Wedding dress value | £9,000 ($43,573 in 2023) |
| Wedding date | 29 July 1981 |
| Wedding location | St Paul's Cathedral |
| Exhibition location | Kensington Palace, Princess Diana Museum, Althorp House, National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Princess Diana: A Tribute Exhibition in Las Vegas |
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What You'll Learn
Princess Diana Museum
Princess Diana's wedding dress is one of the most famous dresses in the world. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. It was worn at Diana's wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales in 1981 at St Paul's Cathedral.
The Princess Diana Museum displays "The Spare" wedding dress, which was re-created by Elizabeth Emanuel. This dress was made in case the original gown was stolen, burnt in a fire, or its secret was exposed. The museum also displays the original wedding archives from David and Elizabeth Emanuel, which include notes about Diana's flowers and the world's best-kept secret about where Diana’s long veil was made.
The Princess Diana Museum in Las Vegas also displays a dramatic replica of Princess Diana's wedding dress, made out of paper by Belgian artist and sculptor Isabelle de Borchgrave. The exhibition also houses a collection of over 700 items, including several of Princess Diana's authentic evening gowns and fashion garments, as well as artist installations, historic royal textiles, and a collection of correspondence, gifts, and personal items of Diana and the royals.
In addition, the wedding dress was on display in the exhibition Royal Style in the Making at Kensington Palace, which closed on 2 January 2022. The exhibition also uncovered the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal palaces over 300 years ago.
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Kensington Palace
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, was worn at Diana's wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981 at St Paul's Cathedral. It became one of the most famous dresses in the world.
The dress was on display at Kensington Palace as part of the exhibition 'Royal Style in the Making', which closed on 2 January 2022. The exhibition also displayed the original wedding archives from David and Elizabeth Emanuel, which included notes about Diana's flowers and the world's best-kept secret about where Diana's long veil was made.
- The Jewel Room, which displays commissioned gems for Queen Victoria by her husband, Albert.
- An exhibition uncovering the forgotten stories of those who worked at the royal palaces over 300 years ago.
- The rooms where Queen Victoria was born and raised.
There have been other exhibitions featuring Princess Diana's wedding dress. One such exhibition was "Diana: A Celebration," which displayed a hundred and fifty artifacts from her life, including her wedding ensemble. This exhibition initially opened in July 1998 at the Spencer's Althorp estate and finally closed in August 2014. Another exhibition, "Princess Diana: A Tribute Exhibition," features a life-size replica of the iconic wedding dress made out of paper by Belgian artist and sculptor Isabelle de Borchgrave. This exhibition is located in Las Vegas, which hosts over 120,000 weddings each year.
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Althorp estate
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel and was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. It was worn at her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981 at St Paul's Cathedral. It became one of the most famous dresses in the world and was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history.
The dress was on exhibit at the Spencer family's Althorp estate, where Princess Diana spent part of her childhood. The exhibition, titled "Diana: A Celebration", displayed a hundred and fifty artifacts from her life, including her wedding ensemble, tiaras, designer gowns, suits, family heirlooms, letters, paintings, and videos. It initially opened in July 1998 and finally closed in August 2014. The proceeds from the exhibition, amounting to over £1.2 million, were donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, which supports charities that Princess Diana had previously backed.
In addition to the Althorp exhibition, a life-size replica of Princess Diana's wedding dress made out of paper by Belgian artist and sculptor Isabelle de Borchgrave was exhibited at Princess Diana: A Tribute Exhibition in Las Vegas. The exhibition also featured a collection of over 700 items, including several of Princess Diana's authentic evening gowns, fashion garments, artist installations, historic royal textiles, and a collection of correspondence, gifts, and personal items of Princess Diana and the royals.
Furthermore, the original wedding dress was on display at the Royal Style in the Making exhibition at Kensington Palace, which closed on 2 January 2022. The exhibition showcased the story behind the creation of the dress, including the use of antique Carrick-ma-cross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary, the great-grandmother of King Charles III.
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Madame Tussauds
Following her wedding, a duplicate version of her iconic wedding dress, designed by the Emanuels, was displayed at Madame Tussauds. The original wedding dress cost an estimated $115,000, compared to a regular Emanuel wedding dress with a starting cost of $5,610. The success of Princess Diana's wedding dress brought prestige and popularity to the Emanuels, who continued to design garments for Diana and other members of the royal family.
In addition to the wedding dress, Madame Tussauds in London has exhibited several other notable dresses and gowns. In May 2022, an exhibition featuring seven of the Queen's iconic waxwork dresses from her reign was displayed at the museum. This included a replica of a Coronation dress, inspired by the design of a tour dress worn by the Queen in Nigeria in 1956, and a recreation of her Order of the Garter mantle. The collection also showcased a French white satin gown from 1956, based on designs worn by the Queen, and a blue and gold topaz gown made by royal dressmaker Ian Thomas.
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Princess Diana: A Tribute Exhibition
Princess Diana's wedding dress is one of the most famous dresses in the world. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. It was worn at Diana's wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981 at St Paul's Cathedral.
The original wedding dress was on display at the Royal Style in the Making exhibition at Kensington Palace, which closed on 2 January 2022. The exhibition also featured the original wedding archives from David and Elizabeth Emanuel, including notes about Diana's flowers and the closely guarded secret of where her long veil was made.
The Princess Diana Museum displays "The Spare" wedding dress, which was created as a backup in case the original gown was stolen, burnt, or its design exposed. The museum also exhibits never-before-seen items from Diana's wedding day.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Diana's wedding dress was on exhibit at Kensington Palace in London, in an exhibition called "Royal Style in the Making". The exhibition opened on 3 June 2021 and closed on 2 January 2022.
Princess Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, loaned the dress for the exhibition.
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
The exhibition explored the relationship between fashion designers and their royal clients. It featured never-before-seen items from the archives of celebrated royal couturiers, as well as examples of glittering gowns and stylish tailoring created for three generations of royal women.
