Rhiannon Hendricks
The wedding dresses of British royalty have been showcased in various exhibitions, including 'Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians' at The Queen's Gallery in Buckingham Palace, which featured the earliest surviving British royal wedding dress, worn by Princess Charlotte of Wales in 1816. Kensington Palace also hosted the Royal Style in the Making exhibition, displaying Princess Diana's iconic wedding dress and the toile for the 1937 coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Additionally, the wedding outfits of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were exhibited at Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, showcasing the Duchess's dress, shoes, jewellery, and veil. Princess Eugenie's wedding attire was also displayed at Windsor Castle, including her long-sleeve A-line gown, tiara, and evening gown. These exhibitions offer a glimpse into the world of royal fashion and its historical significance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 21 April – 8 October 2023 |
| Location | The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace |
| Exhibition Name | Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians |
| Dress Details | Worn by Princess Charlotte of Wales in 1816, the gown features silver embroidery, a sweeping train, puffed sleeves, and flower details |
| Other Items on Display | Portrait depicting Georgian high-society, miniature portrait of Princess Charlotte of Wales, painting by Thomas Gainsborough of Queen Charlotte, gown worn at the court of Queen Charlotte in the 1760s |
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What You'll Learn
Princess Charlotte of Wales's wedding dress at Buckingham Palace
Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales, the only legitimate child of King George IV and his wife, Caroline of Brunswick, wore the earliest surviving British royal wedding dress in 1816. The dress, a silver silk embroidered gown, was displayed at Buckingham Palace as part of the ''Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians' exhibition. The exhibition featured over 200 works from the Royal Collection, including paintings, clothing, jewellery, and accessories. It explored the fashions of the Georgian period, from the practical dress of laundry maids to the glittering gowns worn at court.
The wedding dress of Princess Charlotte of Wales was the centerpiece of the exhibition. It featured delicate silver embroidery, a long sweeping train, puffed sleeves, and intricate flower details along the hem and around the collar. The gown is a rare specimen of beauty and elegance, especially as it is the only surviving royal wedding dress from the Georgian period. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the dress has been significantly altered from its original form due to the Georgian practice of repurposing and recycling clothing.
The exhibition also included a portrait of Princess Charlotte's wedding ceremony to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg in 1816, as well as a miniature portrait of the left eye of Princess Charlotte of Wales. Other items on display were a painting by Thomas Gainsborough of Queen Charlotte wearing a magnificent court gown and a bracelet with nine lockets, one of which contained a miniature of the left eye of Princess Charlotte.
In addition to the wedding dress of Princess Charlotte of Wales, other royal wedding dresses have been exhibited at different locations. For example, the wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales, was displayed at Kensington Palace as part of the 'Royal Style in the Making' exhibition. The dress, on loan from the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex, featured a spectacular sequin-encrusted train and antique Carrickmacross lace. The exhibition also showcased a rare surviving toile for the 1937 coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
The wedding outfits of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were also exhibited at Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. The exhibition, titled 'A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex', featured the Duchess's dress, shoes, jewellery, and an identical frock coat to the one worn by the Duke.
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Princess Diana's wedding dress at Kensington Palace
Princess Diana's wedding dress was exhibited at Kensington Palace, her former home, in 2021, 40 years after her wedding day. The exhibition, called Royal Style in the Making, explored the relationship between fashion designers and royal clients. It showcased the process behind the creation of some of the most important couture commissions in royal history.
The exhibition included Princess Diana's iconic wedding gown, which was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The dress featured a 25-foot sequin-encrusted train, a fitted bodice overlaid with antique Carrickmacross lace, and large puffed sleeves trimmed with bows and deep ruffles of taffeta. The lace used in the dress originally belonged to Queen Mary, the groom's great-grandmother. The dress was loaned to the exhibition by Princess Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and it was displayed at Kensington Palace for the first time in 25 years.
The exhibition also featured a rare surviving toile for the 1937 coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, as well as never-before-seen items from the archives of some of the most celebrated royal couturiers of the 20th century. Original sketches, fabric swatches, and unseen photographs from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection were also on display, offering a unique insight into the creation of royal fashion moments.
The "Royal Style in the Making" exhibition at Kensington Palace provided a unique opportunity to view Princess Diana's wedding dress up close and to learn about the design process behind it. It showcased the intricate details and craftsmanship that went into creating one of the most famous wedding dresses in history.
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Princess Eugenie's wedding dress at Windsor Castle
Princess Eugenie's wedding dress, which captured the world's attention, is now on display at Windsor Castle. The exhibition, titled "A Royal Wedding: HRH Princess Eugenie and Mr. Jack Brooksbank", gives the public a chance to see the dress up close. The dress was designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos and features a neckline that folds around the shoulders and a flowing full-length train. It also has a low back, which Eugenie wanted to show the scar from surgery she underwent at age 12 to correct scoliosis. The fabric of the dress includes several symbols meaningful to Princess Eugenie, such as the White Rose of York, interwoven with ivy, and a reference to Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
The exhibition also features Princess Eugenie's evening gown, designed by Zac Posen, which was inspired by the beauty of Windsor Castle and the surrounding countryside. The gown is made of British silk chiffon and incorporates a cape, subtly embroidered with the White Rose of York, and a softly pleated full-length train. In addition to the wedding dress and evening gown, the display includes Her Royal Highness's tiara, the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, on loan from Her Majesty the Queen, and her wedding earrings. The tiara, made of brilliant and rose-cut diamonds pavé set in platinum, with six emeralds on each side, is on public display for the first time.
Also included in the exhibition is Jack Brooksbank's morning suit, made by tailors at Huntsman of Savile Row, London. It is a black and grey suit with a vivid blue waistcoat. The display also features the maid of honour outfit of Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York, a blue dress with an asymmetrical neckline by the London-based couture house Ralph & Russo, and a blue and purple headpiece.
The exhibition provides a unique opportunity to view Princess Eugenie's wedding dress and other related outfits and accessories up close and to learn about the thought process behind their design and their personal significance to the Princess.
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Duchess of Sussex's wedding dress at Windsor Castle
The Duchess of Sussex's wedding dress was exhibited at Windsor Castle from 26 October 2018 to 6 January 2019. The exhibition, named "A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex", featured Meghan Markle's bridal gown, a pure white boat-neck gown designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made from a double-bonded silk cady and featured a distinctive boat neckline bodice. It was displayed alongside a five-metre-long veil representing the flora of each Commonwealth country, and the diamond and platinum tiara gifted to the bride by the Queen. The exhibition also included an identical version of Prince Harry's wedding uniform, the frockcoat uniform of the Household Cavalry (the 'Blues and Royals').
The exhibition was organised by the Royal Collection Trust and was open for public viewing in the castle's Grand Reception Room, where the Queen hosted an afternoon reception for 600 wedding guests following the wedding ceremony at St George's Chapel on 19 May 2018. The exhibition provided a unique opportunity for visitors to view the wedding outfits up close in the very space where the event took place, highlighting the level of detail and craftsmanship that went into creating the iconic dress.
Senior curator at the Royal Collection Trust, Caroline de Guitaut, commented on the exhibition: "As the dress is so deceptively simple, I thought it was really valuable for visitors to get that little bit of insight into what it really takes to make wonderful couture and everything that is involved." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were keen on the exhibition, wanting to share these memories with the public, much like they shared their wedding day.
After its display at Windsor Castle, the exhibition moved to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh from 14 June to 6 October 2019.
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Kate Middleton's wedding dress at Buckingham Palace
Kate Middleton's wedding dress was exhibited at Buckingham Palace in 2011, just months after her wedding to Prince William. The dress was designed by Sarah Burton, the creative director of Alexander McQueen, and it quickly became one of the most famous royal wedding dresses in history. The exhibition of the dress helped attract a record number of visitors to Buckingham Palace in the summer of 2011 and raised around £10 million for Middleton's charity fund and the Royal Collection.
The dress featured an ivory satin bodice with a slight padding at the hips and a narrowed waist, inspired by the Victorian tradition of corsetry. The bodice incorporated floral motifs cut from machine-made lace, which were then appliquéd onto silk net (tulle) by workers from the Royal School of Needlework based at Hampton Court Palace. The dress also included Kate's "something blue", sewn into the gorgeous gown.
The exhibition provided a unique opportunity to view the intricate details of the dress up close, including the delicate floral motifs and the 3D effect noted by Queen Elizabeth. The display showcased the beauty of its craftsmanship and technical construction, which had been kept secret until the bride arrived at her wedding.
While Kate Middleton's wedding dress was exhibited at Buckingham Palace, other royal wedding dresses have been displayed at different locations. For example, the wedding dress of Princess Charlotte of Wales from 1816 was showcased at the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace as part of the "Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians" exhibition in 2023. Additionally, the wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales, was exhibited at Kensington Palace, providing insight into the relationship between fashion designers and royal clients.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Diana's wedding dress is exhibited at Kensington Palace as part of the 'Royal Style in the Making' exhibition.
Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress was exhibited at Buckingham Palace.
Princess Eugenie's wedding dress was exhibited at the Grand Reception Room at Windsor Castle.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was exhibited at Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
