Junior Rasmussen
Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress, worn on her marriage to Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, was designed by Norman Hartnell. The dress was made from ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls, and its 15-foot train was inspired by Botticelli's paintings. The dress was exhibited across Britain following its display at St James's Palace. But where is it kept now?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Designer | Norman Hartnell |
| Fabric | Ivory silk |
| Embellishments | 10,000 seed pearls, white crystal beads, diamanté, star flowers, roses, jasmine blossoms, ears of wheat |
| Train | 15 feet long |
| Neckline | Heart-shaped or sweetheart |
| Sleeves | Long and tight |
| Tiara | Diamond |
| Heels | Satin, embellished, designed by Edward Rayne |
| Veil | Silk tulle |
| Bouquet | White cattleya, Odontoglossum, Cypripedium orchids, myrtle, white Balmoral heather |
| Date of Wedding | 20 November 1947 |
| Location | Westminster Abbey |
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What You'll Learn
The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell
Hartnell's design for Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress was inspired by a Botticelli figure that he had seen in a London art gallery. The dress was made of ivory silk and featured a heart-shaped neckline, long tight sleeves, and a 15-foot train. The silk was sourced from China, rather than Japan or Italy, due to the recent war with those countries. The dress was embellished with flower designs of jasmine, smilax, lilac, and white rose-like blossoms, as well as 10,000 seed pearls and white crystals.
The dress was created in Hartnell's workrooms in Mayfair, and the windows of the premises had to be whitewashed to protect the exclusivity of the design from public disclosure. Hundreds of people worked on the dress, including embroiderers who created the exquisite floral motifs that adorned the gown. The final design of the dress was kept secret, and it was delivered to the palace in a 4-foot box the day before the wedding.
After the wedding, Princess Elizabeth's dress was exhibited across Britain, including in Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester. It remains one of Hartnell's most historic commissions, alongside the coronation gown that he also designed for the Queen.
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It was made from ivory silk
The wedding dress of Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, was made from ivory silk. The silk was sourced from Nationalist China, as opposed to Japan or Italy, given that World War II had just ended. The silk cloth was chosen at the specific request of her mother, Queen Elizabeth, who wanted an "unusually rich, lustrous stiff satin which was made at Lullingstone Castle". The silkworms to manufacture the silk were bought from China. The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, who had previously designed the wedding dress of the Duchess of Gloucester in 1935 and the dresses worn by her bridesmaids, including Princess Elizabeth. Hartnell described the dress as "the most beautiful dress I had so far made". The design of the dress was kept secret and was only approved three months before the wedding. The gown featured a heart-shaped or sweetheart neckline and long, tight sleeves. The dress was paired with a silk tulle veil, a double strand of pearls, and a diamond tiara. The final cost to make the dress in modern times was £30,000.
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The veil was made of silk tulle
The veil worn by Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding day was made of silk tulle. The veil was held in place by a crown, which unfortunately broke as she was getting ready for the ceremony. A royal jeweller was brought in to make the necessary repairs. The veil was a departure from the Honiton lace favoured by Queen Victoria for the Royal Family's brides.
The design of the wedding dress was kept secret, and the final design was only approved three months before the wedding. The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, who had previously designed the wedding dress of the Duchess of Gloucester in 1935, as well as the dresses worn by her bridesmaids, including Princess Elizabeth. Hartnell also designed the dresses of Princess Elizabeth's bridesmaids for her wedding.
The dress was made of ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. It featured a heart-shaped neckline and long, tight sleeves. The silk was sourced from China, rather than Japan or Italy, due to the recent war with those countries. The dress was designed to be the most beautiful dress Hartnell had made up to that point.
The dress was displayed at St James's Palace after the wedding and then exhibited across Britain in cities including Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester. The dress has become one of Hartnell's most historic commissions, alongside the Queen's coronation gown.
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It featured 10,000 seed pearls
Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, the British court designer. The dress was made of ivory silk from China, featuring a 13-foot or 15-foot train inspired by Botticelli's c. 1482 painting of Primavera. The dress was embellished with 10,000 seed pearls, imported from the United States, along with white crystals. The silk cloth was chosen at the directive of Queen Elizabeth's mother, who wanted a "rich, lustrous stiff satin" made at Lullingstone Castle. The silkworms were sourced from Nationalist China, not from Italy or Japan, the UK's enemies during the war.
The design of the dress was approved just three months before the wedding, and it was kept secret until the big day. Hartnell submitted 12 potential designs to the royal family before receiving final approval. The dress featured a heart-shaped neckline and long tight sleeves. It was decorated with flower designs of jasmine, smilax, lilac, and white rose-like blossoms, symbolising rebirth and growth after the war.
The construction of the dress was no easy feat. It took 350 women seven weeks to create the intricate gown. Hartnell's team imported 10,000 pearls from the US, declaring them at customs and paying the duty tax. The total cost of the dress, including the imported pearls, was approximately $1.6 million in today's money.
The wedding dress holds significant historical value, not only for its exquisite design and craftsmanship but also for its representation of post-war Britain. The use of ration coupons to purchase the dress, even by the royal family, reflects the austerity measures in place at the time. The dress, with its intricate details and symbolism, stands as a testament to the resilience and rebirth of the nation in the aftermath of World War II.
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The final design was kept secret
The wedding dress of Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, was designed by Norman Hartnell and made of ivory silk and satin. Hartnell was a popular choice as the designer of royal dresses, having previously designed the wedding dresses of the Duchess of Gloucester in 1935 and Princess Margaret in 1960, as well as the dresses of Princess Elizabeth's bridesmaids. The final design of the Queen's wedding dress was kept a closely guarded secret, despite much speculation from the public. The windows of Hartnell's premises in Bruton Street, Mayfair had to be whitewashed, and curtains hung to protect the design from public disclosure.
The dress was inspired by a Botticelli figure that Hartnell had come across in London art galleries. The gown featured a sweetheart or heart-shaped neckline and long, tight sleeves. The silk cloth was chosen by the Queen Mother, who desired an "unusually rich, lustrous stiff satin which was made at Lullingstone Castle". The silk was sourced from Nationalist China, not from Italy or Japan, Britain's enemies during the war. The dress was also adorned with 10,000 seed pearls and thousands of white crystal beads. The train of the dress was 15 feet long and featured flower designs of jasmine, smilax, lilac, and white rose-like blossoms, embellished with white crystals and pearls.
The dress was taken to the palace a day before the wedding in a 4-foot box. The final cost to make this dress in modern times is estimated to be £30,000 (approximately $37,000). The dress was later exhibited across Britain in cities like Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester.
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Frequently asked questions
The wedding dress of Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, is kept at St James’s Palace.
The dress was made of ivory silk and decorated with 10,000 seed pearls. The silk was sourced from China, rather than Japan or Italy, due to World War II.
The dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, who also designed the wedding dresses of the Duchess of Gloucester in 1935, Princess Margaret in 1960, and Princess Elizabeth's bridesmaids' dresses.
