June 24, 2021 – 15:56 BST
Leanne Bayley
Royal brides’ iconic wedding dresses: Photos of Princess Diana, Princess Beatrice, the Queen, Princess Eugenie, Duchess Camilla, Sophie Wessex, Sarah Ferguson and more.
When a royal bride steps out of the car to reveal her wedding dress for the very first time, all eyes are on her. From Meghan Markle‘s modern, timeless gown to Princess Beatrice’s borrowed dress from the Queen, there have been some pretty magical wedding photos taken over the past few years.
READ: 7 most expensive royal wedding dresses: Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, more
Meanwhile, Princess Diana‘s nieces Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Kitty Spencer are both reportedly planning their nuptials after getting engaged in 2020. As we wait to catch a glimpse of their beautiful gowns, take a look back at the most iconic royal wedding dresses…
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WATCH: The most iconic royal wedding dresses of all time
1. Zara Tindall’s wedding dress
For her wedding to Mike Tindall on 30 July 2011, Zara looked angelic in an ivory dress fashioned by designer Stewart Parvin, one of her grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s favourite couturiers. As she was pictured leaving Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh with her new husband, Zara’s custom made full-skirted gown looked stunning, with its Duchess satin trim and chevron pleated corseted bodice, and a fine tulle veil.
2. Charlotte Casiraghi’s wedding dress
Photo: Eric Mathon / Palais Princier Monaco
Charlotte Casiraghi surprised at her civil ceremony to Dimitri Rassam in June 2019, when she stepped out in a chic Saint Laurent wedding dress. Her brocade dress featured a scalloped hem and three bows down the front, and it was perfect for the low-key ceremony. The Monaco royal later wore a lace Giambattista Valli wedding dress for her second religious ceremony in France at the end of June.
3. Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding dress
The British royals had their third royal wedding in less than 12 months when Lady Gabriella Windsor married Thomas Kingston in May 2019. The bride had no less than four wedding dresses for her weekend-long celebrations, including a lace long-sleeved Luisa Beccaria gown with a six-metre long veil that she wore for her ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
SEE: 9 behind-the-scenes royal wedding photos revealed
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4. Princess Eugenie’s wedding dress
There was huge excitement when we saw Princess Eugenie’s stunning wedding gown for the first time! The royal’s elegant dress, which was worth £200,000 was by British designer Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos and featured a deep V neck with an off the shoulder design and a beautiful bustle at the back.
The fabric included a number of symbols that were meaningful to Princess Eugenie as motifs, notably a Thistle for Scotland acknowledging the couple’s fondness for Balmoral, a Shamrock for Ireland as a nod to the Bride’s Ferguson family, the York Rose and ivy representing the couple’s home. Eugenie opted to go without a veil, instead wearing her up in a chic style with the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara, which belonged to the Queen Mother.
5. Meghan Markle’s wedding dress
After months of speculation, Prince Harry’s bride Meghan Markle finally revealed that she had chosen Clare Waight Keller of iconic Parisian fashion house Givenchy to design her wedding dress – opting for a slim-fitting, bateau-neck gown with sleeves, and a show-stopping veil.
The designer said of the task: “It is truly an honour to have been given the opportunity to closely collaborate with Meghan Markle on such a remarkable occasion. We wanted to create a timeless piece that would emphasize the iconic codes of Givenchy throughout its history, as well as convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts. In contrast, the delicate floral beauty of the veil was a vision Meghan and I shared, a special gesture embracing the commonwealth flora, ascending the circumference of the silk tulle.”
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE’S WEDDING DRESS
6. Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress
When British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell was asked to design the Queen‘s bridal gown, his aim was to create “the most beautiful dress” he had ever made. Her Majesty, who was Princess Elizabeth at the time, wore the ivory silk masterpiece that was decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls. It incorporated a 15-foot star-patterned train, woven in Braintree in Essex and inspired by the famous Renaissance painting of Primavera by Botticelli, symbolising rebirth and growth after the war. The Princess had collected clothing coupons to pay for the dress as Britain was still subject to rationing at the time of her November 1947 wedding.
7. Kate Middleton’s wedding dress
The Duchess of Cambridge expressed her desire to combine modernity with tradition in her gown, which was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The result was an exquisite creation that featured a nipped-in waist, lace sleeves, floral motifs and a full flowing skirt and train.
WANT MORE? The Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress maker talks creating the gown
8. Princess Diana’s wedding dress
Princess Diana‘s record-breakingly long train on her David and Elizabeth Emanuel-designed dress was a tight fit inside the glass coach which transported her to her wedding. Even her father had difficulty squeezing in alongside all 7.62m of it. It could have been a very different picture, though, if details of the dress had leaked – a back-up dress was made just in case.
RELATED: This is how Princess Diana’s wedding dress was kept secret back in 1981
9. Sophie, Countess of Wessex’s wedding dress
Five months after the announcement of their engagement, Britain’s Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones were married in Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel on Saturday 19 June, 1999. For her wedding to the Queen‘s youngest son, the former PR wore a simple ivory silk and organza dress-coat created by Samantha Shaw, featuring 325,000 crystals and pearls fastened along the neck, full-length sleeves and train. As well as her corseted V-neck gown, Sophie wore a cathedral-length veil, sprinkled with more crystals, and a diamond tiara from the Queen’s private collection. She was also adorned with a black-and-white pearl necklace and matching earrings designed by Edward as a wedding gift.
10. Princess Sofia’s wedding dress
Sofia Hellqvist arrived at Stockholm’s royal chapel for her wedding to Prince Carl Philip of Sweden on a Saturday afternoon in June 2015. All eyes were on the brunette beauty as she stepped out in her stunning wedding gown – made from silk crepe overlaid with Italian silk organza – to tie the knot with the Swedish prince. The bridal gown, which was created by Swedish designer Ida Sjöstedt, featured intricate couture lace made by José María Ruiz and a beautiful train that was hand-cut and then hand-stitched in the designer’s atelier in Stockholm. The dress was made in not one but three shades of white.
WANT MORE? The best moments from the Swedish royal wedding
11. Princess Beatrice’s wedding dress
Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi wearing a vintage gown designed by Norman Hartnell which was loaned to her from the Queen. It was made from Peau De Soie taffeta in shades of ivory, trimmed with ivory Duchess satin, and featuring organza sleeves. Diamantes are encrusted across the entire design, including a geometric checkered bodice. A statement released by Buckingham Palace revealed that the gown was remodelled and fitted for Beatrice by the Queen‘s dresser Angela Kelly and loyal dressmaker Stewart Parvin.
12. Charlene of Monaco’s wedding dress
Having first met in 2000, Albert and Charlene made it official when they were married in a civil ceremony 11 years later. The couple tied the knot in the Throne Room of the royal palace, with Charlene looking nothing short of princess-perfect. In a beautifully cut sky-blue suit that oozed understated glamour, Charlene was radiant as she made her first appearance as a royal on the palace balcony. It had been 55 years since a new sovereign princess had greeted the people of Monaco from that exact spot.
Fashion commentators were quick to dub the colour “Charlene blue” and the princess later explained: “It’s a collaboration between me and Karl Lagerfeld. We wanted something to match the colour of my eyes. It’s my creation and I’m proud of it.”
13. Charlene of Monaco’s second wedding dress
On 2 July 2011, Charlene stepped out in a silk Giorgio Armani bridal gown. It was simple, yet dazzling; regal yet unassuming. True to form, down-to-earth Charlene had gone for understated sophistication. The dress, which required months of handiwork, was cut from 130 metres of silk, studded with 40,000 crystals and embellished with 20,000 teardrops fashioned from mother-of-pearl.
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14. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands’s wedding dress
Willem-Alexander‘s bride found her perfect gown courtesy of one of the world’s top designers. Princess Maxima of the Netherlands married her royal love on 2 February, 2002, in Amsterdam wearing a Valentino couture long-sleeved ivory gown, with a train inset with beautiful embroidered flowers. Her tiara was made especially for the occasion – its base was taken from one owned by Queen Emma, and the stars from one owned by Emma’s daughter, Queen Wilhelmina, Queen Beatrix‘s grandmother.
15. Camilla Parker Bowles’ wedding dress
The Duchess of Cornwall wore an elegant white coat and matching scalloped-edged dress by Robinson Valentine for her civil ceremony to Prince Charles in April 2005, when the pair married at Windsor’s Guildhall. Two years later in June 2007, the Duchess stepped out in the same outfit as she attended the opening of the National Assembly of Wales. Camilla swapped her show-stopping wedding hat for another wide-brimmed one, and this time wore a triple string of pearls and a different pair of shoes. She did, however, wear the same diamond brooch that featured the Prince of Wales feathers. She is the only royal to have recycled her wedding dress.
16. Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco’s wedding dress
When Grace Kelly walked down the aisle to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco, the blonde beauty captivated audiences with her show-stopping wedding dress. The gown, designed by Helen Rose of MGM, was the epitome of romance and instantly transformed the Hollywood star into real-life European royalty. Grace’s dress was more complex than it looked – underneath the sheer lace bodice was another strapless one made of silk crepe, while three layers of integrated petticoats gave the skirt its distinctive volume. The fabrics used ranged from silk tulle, pearl-encrusted rose point lace, delicate Valenciennes lace and dull luster of peau de soie satin.
RELATED: Take a look inside Grace Kelly’s former childhood home
17. Sarah, Duchess of York’s wedding dress
Sarah Ferguson wore a dress made from ivory Duchesse satin and featuring heavy beading for her wedding to Prince Andrew, Duke of York on 23 July 1986, at Westminster Abbey. The wedding dress, which she designed herself and was believed to have cost £35,000, featured a long train, fitted bodice, and a scooped neckline. Adorably, an embroidered letter ‘A’ was also visible on the dress.
18. Princess Masako of Japan’s wedding dress
Harvard graduate Masako Owada became a member of Japan’s Imperial Family on 9 June, 1993, when she married Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko’s first son, Crown Prince Naruhito. For the couple’s traditional Shinto ceremony, the bride wore a traditional silk bridal kimono – made up of a dozen layers – which eventually weighed 14 kilograms and cost over $100,000. Masako completed her extravagant attire with elegant long gloves and beautifully decorative jewellery including an ornate diamond tiara and necklace.
19. Queen Rania of Jordan’s wedding dress
Just five months after she locked eyes on her handsome future husband at a dinner party, Rania Al-Yassin married Jordan’s prince – later king – Abdullah bin Al-Hussein on 10 June, 1993. The beautiful bride, who became queen in March 1999, wore a gown created by famous Lebanese designer Elie Saab.
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20. Queen Letizia Ortiz of Spain’s wedding dress
Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano married Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe in a Roman Catholic ceremony on 22 May 2004. The former journalist chose a wedding gown by veteran Spanish designer Manuel Pertegaz to wear to her nuptials, featuring an impressive train, fitted bodice and an unusual high collar, which was reportedly worth £6million.
21. Mary Donaldson of Denmark’s wedding dress
Mary Donaldson of Denmark married Crown Prince Frederik on 14 May, 2004 at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark. Mary’s wedding dress was created by Danish designer Uffe Frank, and was made of an ivory duchess satin with a scoop neckline. The gorgous design featured a a slim-fit bodice and lily-like sleeves.
22. Princess Martha Louise’s wedding dress
The bride married author Ari Behn in May 2002 wearing a two-piece wedding outfit featuring a dress and jacket – created for her by Oslo-based designer Wenche Lyche. The costume was inspired by the shape and colour of the Martha lily; the Swarovski-embroidered bridal jacket was made of off-white duchess satin, a three-metre train tapered to a pointed arch, while the gown was of white silk crepe. The bride – whose bouquet consisted mainly of lilies – also paid tribute to her royal heritage by holding her veil in place with a tiara originally belonging to Queen Maud.
23. Princess Mette-Marit’s wedding dress
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore a wedding dress inspired by the one worn by groom Crown Prince Haakon‘s great grandmother, Queen Maud, for her marriage in 1896. Created by designer Ove Harder Finseth and seamstress Anna Bratland, the gown was made of thick silk crepe and draped in soft silk tulle, and featured a bodice and a flared skirt. The train reached two metres, while her veil was made from six metres of silk. Adorning her head on her big day – held on 25 August, 2001, in Oslo Cathedral – was a beautiful antique tiara, presented as a gift from her in-laws, Harald and Sonja.
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