Royal Bridesmaids: Little Girls, Big Traditions

Royal bridesmaids are usually little girls, and this is largely down to tradition. In British weddings, it is customary to have children as bridesmaids and page boys. This tradition has been upheld by the royal family, with royal bridesmaids typically being children or early teens since Queen Elizabeth's wedding. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, broke with tradition by having her sister, Pippa, as her bridesmaid, but this is considered an exception rather than the rule.

Royal bridesmaids are often dressed in white

The tradition of dressing royal bridesmaids in white is believed to be based on the historical belief that white deters evil spirits. By dressing her bridesmaids in white, a bride could confuse evil spirits and disguise herself among the bridal party. White is also a symbol of purity, cleanliness, immaculacy, and perfection, which is why it is the natural colour choice for bridal dresses.

Another reason royal bridesmaids are dressed in white could be down to Queen Victoria's influence. Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress, which sparked the trend of bridal white for centuries to come.

Royal bridesmaids are usually children or early teens

Royal bridesmaids are often dressed in white, a colour that is usually avoided by wedding guests so as not to upstage the bride. However, this tradition is not limited to royal weddings, and until the 1940s, it wassection. common for bridal parties to wear white. The colour white is also believed to deter evil spirits and symbolise purity, cleanliness, and perfection.

At royal weddings, children act assection. flower girls and ring bearers, often stealing the spotlight from the bride with their adorable outfits. For instance, at Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco's wedding, the flower girls wore cream-coloured tulle dresses with matching cream gloves and flower bouquets. Similarly, at Princess Diana and Prince Charles of Wales's wedding, the flower girls wore ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gowns, with flower crowns and baskets.

While royal bridesmaids are typically children, there have been exceptions. At the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, Pippa Middleton, the Duchess's sister, served as her bridesmaid. Similarly, Meghan Markle chose not to have a maid of honour at her wedding to Prince Harry, instead opting for a group of close adult girlfriends to support her throughout the day.

Royal bridesmaids are not typically adult female bridesmaids

Since Queen Elizabeth's wedding, royal bridesmaids have been children or early teens. According to an expert on the British royal family, Marlene Koenig, it would be "unusual" for a royal bride to have a woman in her bridal party. She states that "most of the bridesmaids are early teens or children".

While adult female bridesmaids are not typical, there have been exceptions to this rule. Pippa Middleton, for example, served as her sister Kate's bridesmaid at the royal wedding. However, this was an exception rather than the norm.

The choice to have younger bridesmaids at royal weddings may also be influenced by the desire to include family members or close friends' children in the bridal party. For instance, Meghan Markle's bridal party included her friend's daughter, Ivy Mulroney, who held the bride's bouquet during the ceremony.

Royal bridesmaids are not always flower girls

According to tradition, bridesmaids and pageboys in royal weddings are typically children or early teens. Princess Charlotte, for instance, was a bridesmaid at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding when she was only three years old. Similarly, Prince George was a pageboy.

The distinction between a flower girl and a bridesmaid is primarily related to age. Girls under the age of nine and over the age of four are usually flower girls, while girls between nine and fourteen can be junior bridesmaids. Women over the age of fourteen are traditionally considered bridesmaids.

However, the roles and responsibilities of flower girls and bridesmaids may differ. The main role of a flower girl is to scatter rose petals down the aisle, while bridesmaids are expected to attend and organise major parties, such as the bachelorette party, and provide emotional support for the bride.

Royal bridesmaids are often related to the bride or groom

Royal bridesmaids are often children or early teens, and since Queen Elizabeth's wedding, they have been dressed in white. Royal brides typically choose bridesmaids who are related to them or the groom, such assection: Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Princess Kate's sister Pippa Middleton.

In British tradition, bridesmaids are usually children, and royal weddings follow this custom. Royal bridesmaids are often related to the bride or groom, such as Princess Charlotte and Prince George, who are the children of the Princess of Wales. At Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, Markle's goddaughter, Riylan Litt, and the daughter of Markle's stylist and best friend, Jessica Mulroney, were also bridesmaids.

Pippa Middleton, the sister of Princess Kate, served as her bridesmaid at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding in 2011. This was an exception to the rule, as royal brides typically do not have adult female bridesmaids. Pippa held her sister's bouquet and train and assisted with the younger bridesmaids and page boys.

The choice of having younger bridesmaids may be influenced by the desire to avoid choosing between close friends. Markle, for example, chose not to have a maid of honour because she did not want to select one friend over another. Similarly, the Duchess of Cambridge did not have a maid of honour because she has a close-knit circle of friends.

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