Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is not just Prince William’s wife and the future queen consort of England, but a pop culture icon in her own right. Kate has been in the spotlight for over a decade, after beginning a romance with Prince William when they were both university students.
One of the high points in Middleton’s public life was her extravagant royal wedding in 2011 when all the world tuned in to watch Kate marry William in grand style. To this day, that day stands out for royal fans, with many style enthusiasts particularly enthralled by Kate’s beautiful wedding gown.
Kate Middleton’s royal wedding was a worldwide event
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge | Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
In April 2011, Kate and William tied the knot in a televised wedding ceremony. The two had been dating for years, and their wedding served as a culmination of a true fairy-tale romance.
One of the biggest moments in the wedding actually took place prior to the ceremony itself, when the car carrying Kate rolled up to the steps of the wedding chapel. Around the world, everyone leaned closer to their screens to get the first glimpse of her wedding dress — a dress that had been speculated about but never before spotted.
When Kate stepped out of the car, jaws dropped. Not only did the dress perfectly fit Kate’s figure, but it was designed by one of the biggest names in the fashion world.
Alexander McQueen designed Kate Middleton’s wedding dress
Kate Middleton | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Many fashion fans had speculated in the months leading up to the wedding as to whom the designer for Kate’s wedding dress would be. The designing of a royal wedding dress always remains a surprise right up until the moment that it is revealed to the public, and Kate’s wedding was no exception. Still, it was rumored that the iconic fashion house Alexander McQueen would be the one to create Middleton’s dress — and ultimately, those rumors were proven to be correct.
Sarah Burton was the chief designer in charge of the dress, and reportedly, the expensive garment cost around $400,000. The dress was Victorian-inspired and featured a drawn-in waist, to give the illusion of an old-fashioned corset.
Kate’s arms were completely covered by lace sleeves, and falling behind her was a nine-foot train. The dress also featured lacework that was entirely done by hand, which contributed to the astronomical cost of the garment.
Making the dress was a secret affair, with embroiderer Amanda Ewing later revealing to Hello Magazine “we knew who it was for, but it was very secret – we had net curtains up, and cleaners were not allowed into the room and the code on the door was changed. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Seamstresses working on Kate Middleton’s wedding dress had to wash their hands every 30 minutes
Great care was taken to protect the integrity of Kate’s wedding dress as it was being made. Most notably, Vogue reports that all the seamstresses involved in making the dress had to wash their hands once every 30 minutes to keep the lace and threads flawless. Additionally, the needles in the sewing kits had to be renewed every three hours, not only to make sure that they were clean but to keep them sharp enough as well.
Ultimately, all the hard work put into the Duchess of Cambridge’s dress paid off — and the moment that the dress was revealed to the public remains one of the biggest royal family moments of the past few decades.
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