Royal Wedding: A Historic Union Of Love And Legacy

Royal weddings have been a source of fascination for centuries, with the nuptials of senior members of royal families attracting significant national and international attention. In recent times, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, captured the attention of millions worldwide. What was it about this modern royal wedding that made history?

One significant aspect was the global audience it garnered through television broadcasting. While the tradition of televising royal weddings began with the marriage of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, the Sussex wedding, like those before it, was viewed by millions around the world, contributing to the enduring popularity of royal weddings as a must-watch event.

Another aspect that made the Sussex wedding historic was the bride's sartorial choice. Meghan Markle's wedding dress, designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, Artistic Director of French fashion house Givenchy, exemplified timeless elegance and simplicity. The focus of the dress was on the open bateau neckline and the five-metre-long veil, which featured distinctive flora from each Commonwealth country, symbolising a connection to the global community.

The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex not only continued the tradition of royal weddings as public spectacles but also reflected a blend of old and new traditions, captivating audiences worldwide and leaving an enduring mark in the history of royal nuptials.

Princess Diana's wedding dress

The Emanuels described the dress as something that "had to be something that was going to go down in history, but also something that Diana loved," and which would be "suitably dramatic in order to make an impression." Diana personally selected the designers because she was fond of a chiffon blouse they had designed for her formal photo session with Lord Snowdon.

The woven silk taffeta was made by Stephen Walters of Suffolk. The gown was decorated with hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls, centring on a heart motif. An 18-karat gold horseshoe was stitched into the petticoats as a sign of good fortune. The lace used to trim it was antique and hand-made, and a square of Carrickmacross lace that had belonged to Queen Mary was attached to the gown. A petite blue bow was also sewn into the interior of the gown's waistband as her "something blue".

The dress set wedding fashion trends, with large puffed sleeves, full skirts, and "soft touch fabrics" becoming popular requests. Copies by other dressmakers were available within hours of the wedding. The dress is still considered a "gold standard" in wedding fashion, with Elizabeth Emanuel noting in 2011 that she still received requests for replicas.

The Emanuels also created a second, backup wedding gown in case the original design was leaked to the press. This dress was made of pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves, and featured a V-neck, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a ball gown skirt.

The first televised royal wedding

Nearly a decade later, in 1973, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips's nuptials made history as the first royal wedding to be broadcast in colour. Anyone with access to a television could watch the ceremony unfold at Westminster Abbey in full colour, giving the public a more realistic depiction of the event. This wedding set the record for the most-watched program on a single channel in the UK of all time, with an estimated 500 million people tuning in worldwide.

The groom's naval uniform

History and Evolution

The uniforms of the Royal Navy have gradually evolved since the first uniform regulations were issued in 1748. The predominant colours are navy blue and white, with male and female ratings wearing the same ceremonial uniform since reforms in 1997. The uniform has served as a template for maritime uniforms worldwide, especially within the British Empire and Commonwealth. While there have been standardised designs, individual customisations were common, as officers often adapted their uniforms to civilian fashion trends.

Specific Uniforms

• Ceremonial Day Dress: Worn by senior officers like Admirals, members of the Royal Family, and the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom. It consists of a navy blue double-breasted tailcoat with a standing collar, gold shoulder boards, and gold-laced blue trousers.
• Number 1 Dress: The formal uniform for all commissioned officers, consisting of a double-breasted navy blue reefer jacket, matching trousers, a white shirt, a black tie, and a peaked cap. Female personnel may wear skirts.
• Mess Dress: Worn for evening dining and divided into categories like 2A, the formal evening dress for ceremonial dinners, and 2B, the "mess undress" for other functions.
• Number 3 Dress: Worn all year round for general duties, consisting of a white shirt with rank insignia and appropriate headgear.
• Number 4 Dress: Adopted navy-wide in 2015, similar to the British Army's Personal Clothing System Combat Uniform but in navy blue. It includes a navy blue fire-retardant jacket, beret, stable belt, trousers, steaming boots, and an optional microfleece.
• Specialist Working Kit: Number 5 refers to job-specific working uniforms, such as medical, flight deck, boat crews, chefs, and divers.
• Warm Climate Uniforms: In tropical climates, officers wear a short-sleeved white bush jacket with matching trousers, a peaked cap, and white shoes. Senior rates and junior ratings have similar uniforms with slight variations.

Symbolism and Significance

The bride's bouquet

The bridal bouquet is an important part of wedding traditions, and royal weddings are no exception. In fact, the bouquet has played a significant role in some of the most famous royal nuptials in history.

For Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Philip Mountbatten in 1947, the bouquet was a key element in establishing a connection with the British people, as it included sprigs of myrtle cut from the same bush used for Queen Victoria's bouquet. This choice of flower was also a nod to the tradition set by Queen Victoria, who wore a wreath of orange blossom in her hair and carried a bouquet of the same flower, setting a trend for future royal brides.

Following in the footsteps of her mother, Queen Elizabeth, and other royal brides before her, Princess Anne carried a bouquet of flowers with sprigs of myrtle when she married Mark Phillips in 1973. Their wedding was also historic as it was the first royal wedding to be televised in colour, giving viewers a more realistic glimpse into the lives of royalty.

Princess Diana, who married Prince Charles in 1981, also included myrtle in her bouquet. This tradition has continued in more recent royal weddings, such as that of the Duchess of Cambridge, who carried a bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, and hyacinth when she married Prince William in 2011.

The bridal bouquet is not just a beautiful accessory but also a way to honour traditions and pay tribute to the heritage of the royal family.

The wedding cake

Queen Victoria's confectioner at Buckingham Palace, Mr John Mauditt, created the cake. It was decorated with figures of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dressed in ancient Greek costume, and iced festoons of entwined orange blossom and sprigs of myrtle. This was the main cake, and more smaller cakes were baked so that pieces could be sent to people.

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