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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 husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The dress was so influential that it sparked thousands of copycat designs, with the first hitting department stores just five hours after the royal wedding ceremony. The original dress was displayed at Kensington Palace's Royal Style in the Making exhibition, which closed on 2 January 2022.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Display location in 2021 | Kensington Palace |
| Display location prior to 2014 | Althorp House, Northampton |
| Current owners | Princes William and Harry |
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What You'll Learn
The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The Emanuels were chosen by Diana herself because she was fond of a chiffon blouse they had designed for her formal photo session with Lord Snowdon. The gown was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-foot (7.6 m) train and a 153-yard (140 m) tulle veil. The dress was valued at the time at £9,000, which is equivalent to $43,573 in 2023.
The dress featured a Romantic-style full skirt and large puffed sleeves with lace flounces on the neckline and cuffs. The bodice of the dress showcased antique Carrick-ma-cross lace that once belonged to King Charles III's great-grandmother, Queen Mary. The lace was enhanced with thousands of sequins, including mother-of-pearl and iridescent sequins, and 10,000 pearls. The ivory silk tulle veil also featured mother-of-pearl sequins and was held in place with a diamond tiara owned by the Spencer family.
The dress was considered a "gold standard" in wedding fashion in the years after the wedding and has been described as "theatrical" and "dramatic". It has sparked multiple copycat designs over the years and remains one of the most iconic royal looks. David Emanuel shared that his inspiration for the dress was to reflect Diana's transformation from Lady Diana Spencer to Princess of Wales, and to create a "fairytale princess".
The dress was loaned by Princes William and Harry, to whom it was bequeathed by their mother, for exhibition at Kensington Palace's "Royal Style in the Making" show in 2021-2022. It was also displayed at Althorp House in Northampton, and a duplicate version went on display at Madame Tussauds.
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It was made from ivory silk taffeta and antique lace
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown featured a 25-foot (7.6 m) train and a 153-yard (140 m) tulle veil. The silk taffeta was woven by Stephen Walters of Suffolk, and the antique lace was donated by Queen Mary, the great-grandmother of King Charles III. The dress was valued at £9,000 at the time, which is equivalent to $43,573 in 2023.
The dress was first displayed to the world when Diana wore it to her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981. The dress became one of the most famous in the world, and was considered one of the most closely guarded secrets in fashion history.
The dress was loaned by Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, to be exhibited at Kensington Palace in 2021. It was part of the "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition, which closed in 2022.
The Emanuels' design for Princess Diana's wedding dress brought them much prestige and popularity. They continued to design garments for Diana and other members of the royal family, but Diana's wedding dress remains their most notable creation.
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The dress was valued at $43,573 in 2023
Princess Diana's wedding dress was valued at $43,573 in 2023. The iconic gown, made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, featured a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. It was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel and was first worn by Diana at her wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral. The dress became one of the most famous in the world and set fashion trends with its large puffed sleeves and full skirt.
The dress was valued at £9,000 at the time of the wedding, equivalent to $43,573 in 2023. The value of the dress has increased over the years, with some sources estimating its worth at $115,000 and even £151,000 in 2019. The dress has been displayed at various locations over the years, including at Althorp House, Northampton, where Diana is buried, and on tour during the "Diana: A Celebration" exhibit. In 2021, the dress was lent by Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, to the "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition at Kensington Palace, where it was on display until January 2022.
The dress is renowned for its intricate design, featuring hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls centering on a heart motif. The antique lace used in the dress had belonged to Queen Mary, and a petite blue bow was sewn into the interior waistband as Diana's "something blue." The dress also included a good luck charm—an 18-karat gold horseshoe studded with white diamonds stitched into the petticoats.
The Emanuels, who designed the dress, described it as something that "had to go down in history" and be "suitably dramatic." The success of the dress brought prestige and popularity to the Emanuel Salon, and they continued to design garments for Diana and other members of the royal family. The dress has remained an iconic symbol of royal wedding fashion and has sparked multiple copycat dresses over the years.
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Princess Diana's dress was displayed at Kensington Palace in 2021
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 husband-and-wife team David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The dress was valued at the time at £9,000, which would be equivalent to $43,573 in 2023.
The dress was designed for Diana's wedding to Charles, Prince of Wales, in 1981 at St Paul's Cathedral. The Emanuels were chosen by Diana because she was fond of a chiffon blouse they had previously designed for her. The gown was intricately embroidered with sequins, frilled lace, and 10,000 pearls. The antique Carrick-ma-cross lace that formed the central bodice of the dress had once belonged to Queen Mary, the great-grandmother of King Charles III.
Princess Diana's wedding dress was displayed at Kensington Palace in 2021 as part of the "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition, which closed on 2 January 2022. The exhibition also featured the dress that Queen Elizabeth II wore for her coronation in 1953. Ownership of Diana's dress was transferred from her brother to her sons, Princes William and Harry, in 2014, and they loaned out the dress for the exhibition.
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The dress inspired copycat designs and is considered iconic
The wedding dress of Princess Diana, made of ivory silk, tafetta, antique lace, and 10,000 pearls, became one of the most famous dresses in the world and a true style icon. Designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the dress featured a 25-foot (7.6-metre) train of ivory taffeta, antique lace, and net tulle, and was adorned with mother-of-pearl sequins and pearl embroidery. The dress was a closely guarded secret before the wedding and the designers even made a second backup dress, which was a simpler version of the original, in case the design was leaked. The dress's design had a significant influence on wedding dress trends, with its dramatic, romantic style inspiring copycat designs and trends that continue to this day.
The dress's signature volume, created by layers of tulle and taffeta, and its romantic, fairytale-like aesthetic, sparked a trend for similar styles. Brides around the world wanted to emulate Diana's look, and designers created their own interpretations, ensuring that the "Diana effect" was felt across the bridal fashion industry. The trend for large, puffy sleeves, a feature of Diana's dress, became particularly popular, and this style was widely emulated. The use of antique lace and intricate embroidery also influenced bridal trends, with many brides opting for more traditional, vintage-inspired gowns.
The "Diana effect" also extended beyond bridal wear, impacting wider fashion trends. The romantic, feminine aesthetic of her dress influenced ready-to-wear collections, with designers drawing on the soft, flowing lines and delicate details. The use of bows, another feature of Diana's dress, became a prominent trend, with women embracing this detail in their everyday wardrobes. The dress's iconic status was further elevated by its association with Princess Diana, who was known for her sense of style and fashion influence, both during her lifetime and beyond.
Today, the dress remains a source of inspiration for bridal designers, and its influence can still be seen in modern wedding dress trends. The use of dramatic trains, volume, and romantic, vintage-inspired details can all be traced back to Princess Diana's wedding dress. It continues to be referenced and reinterpreted, ensuring its iconic status endures. The dress is a testament to the power of fashion to capture the public imagination and the ability of a single garment to leave a lasting cultural impact.
As for the display of the actual dress, it is currently not on public view. After the wedding, the dress was cleaned and stored, and it has since been kept out of the public eye, with only a few rare exceptions. In 2011, it was reported that the dress was on display at Althorp House, the Spencer family home, as part of a exhibition. However, this exhibition has since closed, and the dress's current location is not publicly known.
The enduring fascination with Princess Diana and her wedding dress continues to capture the public imagination, and it is clear that the influence of this iconic design will continue to be felt for many years to come.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Diana's wedding dress was displayed at Kensington Palace in London as part of the "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition.
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by the husband-and-wife team of David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
Princess Diana's wedding dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The dress was embroidered with pearls and sequins, including mother-of-pearl sequins.
