In our last Royal Wedding post, we began chatting about 'the Gown' and looked at bridal designers Meghan loves. Today, we're switching gears and focusing on five iconic royal brides throughout the decades. What designers have they favoured? Are there commonalities between the choices? How does protocol dictate one's choice? How have the most iconic royal gowns over the decades stood the test of time?
Princess Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth
When Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey over 70 years ago, her gown was precisely as impressively opulent as one would expect for the future queen. Designer Norman Hartnell tasked himself with creating the "most beautiful dress" he had ever made when he secured the coveted commission. Indeed, with rationing still in effect, the Princess used her coupons to acquire material for the gown. Interestingly, women all over the country sent her coupons, but she had to return them as it would have been illegal to use them.
The royal couturier looked to renaissance art and roamed through galleries for symbols as he sought inspiration to create a gown fit for a future monarch in post World War II Britain. The train of the gown, symbolic of rebirth and growth after the war, was stated to be inspired by Botticelli's 1482 painting of Primavera, particularly the elaborate embroidery motifs of scattered flowers on the rich satin dress and the tulle veil worn by the royal bride.
The designs for the dress were approved three months before the wedding. A striking element of the final design was the use of ivory silk with flower patterns of jasmine, smilax, lilac and white rose-like blossoms added to the train, embellished with white crystals and pearls. The silk cloth was chosen at the specific directive of her mother, who desired an "unusually rich, lustrous stiff satin which was made at Lullingstone Castle". Satin was chosen for the train, and a more flexible material of the same tone as the train was chosen for the dress. The final design was kept secret, although much speculation surrounded it. On the wedding day, the dress glittered - bejewelled with pearls "skilfully combined with flowing lines of wheat ears, the symbol of fertility, and worked in pearl and diamante". Hartnell more than fulfilled his brief; seven decades later the gown is a testament to exquisite craftsmanship and one of the best-loved royal wedding gowns of all time.
Princess Grace
When Hollywood's leading lady Grace Kelly found her prince, the world looked on as the real-life fairy tale unfolded in 1956. Grace and Rainier's son aptly described the celebratory atmosphere of the day "For us it was our parents getting married. But what it's meant for Monaco, for people around the world, and, how their story continues to fascinate people, that's something unimaginable." Grace's beautiful choice of wedding gown remains as iconic and timeless over sixty years later.
Grace turned to MGM head costume designer Helen Rose, who created many of her most memorable looks in movies such as High Society and The Swan, to create the masterpiece. The two were close friends and searched through the MGM archives for inspiration. A gown designed by Rose for the movie Invitation and subsequently worn by actress Dorothy McGuire served as a starting point for the design. Below, we see Ms McGuire in Invitation and to the right a sketch of Grace's gown.
The completed creation was a high-necked, long-sleeved gown with a fitted torso and billowing skirt. The dress materials included "twenty-five yards of silk taffeta, one hundred yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle and 125-year-old Brussels rose point lace". Instead of a tiara, she wore a beaded floral Juliet cap with a 90-yard veil and carried a pearl-encrusted prayer book and a delicate bouquet of Lilies of the Valley. Kelly's shoe designer David Evins hid a copper penny inside her right shoe for good luck. One author described the dress as "adding to the marital fervor and elevating matrimonial fashion" and called it a major influence on women who strove to "emulate Kelly's peau de soie and lace masterpiece".
The gown is quite simply a masterclass in timeless bridal elegance. It still serves as a template, inspiring brides and designers. One can draw parallels between Grace's story and Meghan's; both American actresses marrying a prince and beginning an entirely new chapter in their lives.
Princess Margaret
A gown remembered as a "study in simplicity" will have without question caught Meghan's eye. Indeed, when one thinks of Princess Margaret, 'simplicity' is not the word which springs to mind. The Queen's younger sister was the life and soul of the party; a complicated and colourful personality who adored fashion. I suspect her choice of gown may have surprised some who expected her to outdo her sister when she walked up the aisle at Westminster Abbey.
Instead, Margaret, who also chose her sister's wedding gown designer Norman Hartnell, opted for a gown effortlessly elegant owing to its clean lines and exquisite tailoring. Made from silk organza, the skirt comprised some 30 metres of fabric. Hartnell specifically kept the adornments of the dress such as the crystal embellishments and beading to a minimum in order to suit Margaret's petite frame.
It was the first royal wedding ever televised, and viewed by over 300 million people. In 1960, Life magazine named it "the simplest royal wedding gown in history". It has also been described as one of Hartnell's most beautiful and sophisticated pieces.
The 1980s heralded a new dawn for the British Royal family when Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral. Twenty-year-old Diana became a worldwide sensation and millions all over the globe tuned in to see the bride on her wedding day.
Diana selected designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel because she adored a chiffon blouse they made for her for a formal photo session with Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret's ex-husband.
Elizabeth Emanuel, described it as a dress 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". The woven silk taffeta was made by Stephen Walters of Suffolk. The Emanuels consulted Maureen Baker, who had made the wedding dress of Princess Anne, during their construction of the gown. One observer wrote "the dress was a crinoline, a symbol of sexuality and grandiosity, a meringue embroidered with pearls and sequins, its bodice frilled with lace". The gown was decorated with hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls. The lace used to trim it was antique hand-made Carrickmacross lace which had belonged to Queen Mary.
The creation process was not all smooth sailing, with issues encountered along the journey. Fittings of the dress posed difficulties because Diana dropped from a size 14 to a size 10 in the months leading up to the wedding. Even the seamstress was concerned about her weight loss and feared the dress might not fit as it should. According to writer Andrew Morton in Diana: Her True Story, the gown's designers realised too late that they had forgotten to allow for the train's length in relation to the size of the glass coach Diana and her father rode in to the ceremony. They found it difficult to fit inside the glass coach, and the train was badly crushed despite Diana's efforts. This accounted for the visible wrinkles in the wedding gown when she arrived at the cathedral.
The gown, featuring puffed sleeves and a full skirt, served as inspiration for brides throughout the decade. Many bridal experts considered the dress a "gold standard" in wedding fashion in the years after the wedding. Elizabeth Emanuel noted in 2011 that she still received requests for replicas of Diana's dress. With the passage of 35 years, the gown hasn't stood the test of time as well as others listed here, however, one must remember it was very much a design of its time and in 1981 it was a fabulous choice for a future queen. Where is the gown now? The dress transferred ownership from her brother to her sons in 2014 because she had requested that her belongings be handed back to them when they both turned 30. It remains one of the most famous dresses in the world.
And in 2011, Prince William married his longtime love Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey. Though almost seven years ago, I can still vividly recall the collective gasp when Michael Middleton opened the door of the vintage Rolls Royce Phantom and Kate stepped out in the ivory satin and lace masterpiece by Sarah Burton.
Before the wedding, speculation was rife as to the chosen designer of the dress. The month before the wedding, The Sunday Times reported Ms Middleton had chosen McQueen designer Sarah Burton. Their report stated: "A fashion source said that the dress will be a combination of Middleton's own design ideas and Burton's deep knowledge and understanding of high fashion."
The designer's work came to Kate's attention in 2005 when she attended the wedding of Tom Parker Bowles, the son of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Burton had designed the bridal gown for his bride, fashion journalist Sara Buys.
A statement issued by Clarence House read: "Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing. Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen's work."
The sweeping gown featured a strapless,Victorian-style corset, narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips - underneath a high-necked, long-sleeved, sculpted bodice in intricate lacework, hand made by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, and incorporating individual, hand-cut and embroidered flowers representing the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock. The English Cluny lace was hand worked in the Carrickmacross tradition, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s, and was mixed with French Chantilly lace.
The main body of the dress was made in ivory and white satin gazar, using UK fabrics which had been specially sourced by Sarah Burton, with a long, full skirt designed to echo an opening flower, with soft pleats which unfolded to the floor, forming a Victorian-style semi-bustle at the back, and finishing in a short train measuring just under three metres.
The Royal School of Needlework worked closely with the Alexander McQueen atelier team, the hand-stitchers washing their hands every thirty minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine, and changing the needles every three hours.The lace was also used to trim the skirt, as well as the veil, which was made in layers of ivory silk tulle. To partially fulfil the 'something blue' portion of the British wedding tradition, a blue ribbon was sewn inside the dress. The design for the bodice of the dress featuring lace in the style of the 19th Century was the 'something old'.
Sarah Burton later spoke about the experience, keeping it a secret and working with the future queen:
Kate's gown was hailed as a triumph; marrying tradition with modernity and echoing Grace Kelly's romantic, regal gown. The impeccably-crafted piece was a true collaboration between Kate and Sarah Burton, and many years from now will remain a classic, timeless example which I believe will inspire brides for many generations to come.
After casting a quick glance at his future sister-in-law, Prince Harry smiled, turned to William and said: "Wait till you see her." In just over three months William will be returning the favour :)
Looking at the five gowns they all share similar traits; full skirts, long sleeves and trains. They all very much fulfil the 'fairy-tale princess' grown ideal too. Are there specific protocols the designer of a royal wedding has to follow? It turns out the answer is no. Elizabeth Emmanuel revealed "there was absolutely no instruction or protocol from the palace". No formal requirements are issued, however, it is expected the bride will take into the consideration the wedding is in the presence of the monarch and a gown for a day of national celebration.
I chatted with royal commentator Victoria Arbiter who kindly shared her thoughts: "There really aren't any set rules when it comes to wedding dresses but a certain level of decorum would be expected. Many have said that sleeveless is forbidden, but Zara didn't have her arms covered. Out of respect to the Church and the Queen's position I would imagine Meghan will have her shoulders covered, but having said that she and Harry have been doing whatever feels most appropriate to them and he will want her to go with the dress of her dreams. She will be very aware of the eyes of the world on her and I expect she will want to go with what is 'right' while also incorporating her own style, but no-one will be dictating what she can and can't have."
Grace turned to MGM head costume designer Helen Rose, who created many of her most memorable looks in movies such as High Society and The Swan, to create the masterpiece. The two were close friends and searched through the MGM archives for inspiration. A gown designed by Rose for the movie Invitation and subsequently worn by actress Dorothy McGuire served as a starting point for the design. Below, we see Ms McGuire in Invitation and to the right a sketch of Grace's gown.
The completed creation was a high-necked, long-sleeved gown with a fitted torso and billowing skirt. The dress materials included "twenty-five yards of silk taffeta, one hundred yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle and 125-year-old Brussels rose point lace". Instead of a tiara, she wore a beaded floral Juliet cap with a 90-yard veil and carried a pearl-encrusted prayer book and a delicate bouquet of Lilies of the Valley. Kelly's shoe designer David Evins hid a copper penny inside her right shoe for good luck. One author described the dress as "adding to the marital fervor and elevating matrimonial fashion" and called it a major influence on women who strove to "emulate Kelly's peau de soie and lace masterpiece".
The gown is quite simply a masterclass in timeless bridal elegance. It still serves as a template, inspiring brides and designers. One can draw parallels between Grace's story and Meghan's; both American actresses marrying a prince and beginning an entirely new chapter in their lives.
Princess Margaret
A gown remembered as a "study in simplicity" will have without question caught Meghan's eye. Indeed, when one thinks of Princess Margaret, 'simplicity' is not the word which springs to mind. The Queen's younger sister was the life and soul of the party; a complicated and colourful personality who adored fashion. I suspect her choice of gown may have surprised some who expected her to outdo her sister when she walked up the aisle at Westminster Abbey.
Instead, Margaret, who also chose her sister's wedding gown designer Norman Hartnell, opted for a gown effortlessly elegant owing to its clean lines and exquisite tailoring. Made from silk organza, the skirt comprised some 30 metres of fabric. Hartnell specifically kept the adornments of the dress such as the crystal embellishments and beading to a minimum in order to suit Margaret's petite frame.
It was the first royal wedding ever televised, and viewed by over 300 million people. In 1960, Life magazine named it "the simplest royal wedding gown in history". It has also been described as one of Hartnell's most beautiful and sophisticated pieces.
Princess Diana
The 1980s heralded a new dawn for the British Royal family when Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral. Twenty-year-old Diana became a worldwide sensation and millions all over the globe tuned in to see the bride on her wedding day.
Diana selected designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel because she adored a chiffon blouse they made for her for a formal photo session with Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret's ex-husband.
Elizabeth Emanuel, described it as a dress 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". The woven silk taffeta was made by Stephen Walters of Suffolk. The Emanuels consulted Maureen Baker, who had made the wedding dress of Princess Anne, during their construction of the gown. One observer wrote "the dress was a crinoline, a symbol of sexuality and grandiosity, a meringue embroidered with pearls and sequins, its bodice frilled with lace". The gown was decorated with hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls. The lace used to trim it was antique hand-made Carrickmacross lace which had belonged to Queen Mary.
The creation process was not all smooth sailing, with issues encountered along the journey. Fittings of the dress posed difficulties because Diana dropped from a size 14 to a size 10 in the months leading up to the wedding. Even the seamstress was concerned about her weight loss and feared the dress might not fit as it should. According to writer Andrew Morton in Diana: Her True Story, the gown's designers realised too late that they had forgotten to allow for the train's length in relation to the size of the glass coach Diana and her father rode in to the ceremony. They found it difficult to fit inside the glass coach, and the train was badly crushed despite Diana's efforts. This accounted for the visible wrinkles in the wedding gown when she arrived at the cathedral.
The gown, featuring puffed sleeves and a full skirt, served as inspiration for brides throughout the decade. Many bridal experts considered the dress a "gold standard" in wedding fashion in the years after the wedding. Elizabeth Emanuel noted in 2011 that she still received requests for replicas of Diana's dress. With the passage of 35 years, the gown hasn't stood the test of time as well as others listed here, however, one must remember it was very much a design of its time and in 1981 it was a fabulous choice for a future queen. Where is the gown now? The dress transferred ownership from her brother to her sons in 2014 because she had requested that her belongings be handed back to them when they both turned 30. It remains one of the most famous dresses in the world.
The Duchess of Cambridge
And in 2011, Prince William married his longtime love Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey. Though almost seven years ago, I can still vividly recall the collective gasp when Michael Middleton opened the door of the vintage Rolls Royce Phantom and Kate stepped out in the ivory satin and lace masterpiece by Sarah Burton.
Before the wedding, speculation was rife as to the chosen designer of the dress. The month before the wedding, The Sunday Times reported Ms Middleton had chosen McQueen designer Sarah Burton. Their report stated: "A fashion source said that the dress will be a combination of Middleton's own design ideas and Burton's deep knowledge and understanding of high fashion."
The designer's work came to Kate's attention in 2005 when she attended the wedding of Tom Parker Bowles, the son of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Burton had designed the bridal gown for his bride, fashion journalist Sara Buys.
A statement issued by Clarence House read: "Miss Middleton chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing. Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen's work."
The sweeping gown featured a strapless,Victorian-style corset, narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips - underneath a high-necked, long-sleeved, sculpted bodice in intricate lacework, hand made by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, and incorporating individual, hand-cut and embroidered flowers representing the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock. The English Cluny lace was hand worked in the Carrickmacross tradition, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s, and was mixed with French Chantilly lace.
The main body of the dress was made in ivory and white satin gazar, using UK fabrics which had been specially sourced by Sarah Burton, with a long, full skirt designed to echo an opening flower, with soft pleats which unfolded to the floor, forming a Victorian-style semi-bustle at the back, and finishing in a short train measuring just under three metres.
The Royal School of Needlework worked closely with the Alexander McQueen atelier team, the hand-stitchers washing their hands every thirty minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine, and changing the needles every three hours.The lace was also used to trim the skirt, as well as the veil, which was made in layers of ivory silk tulle. To partially fulfil the 'something blue' portion of the British wedding tradition, a blue ribbon was sewn inside the dress. The design for the bodice of the dress featuring lace in the style of the 19th Century was the 'something old'.
Sarah Burton later spoke about the experience, keeping it a secret and working with the future queen:
"'It was so great to actually keep a secret, especially in this day and age when everyone talks about everything.' Burton's parents, Anthony and Diane Heard, were told only on the eve of the ceremony. To find out just what their daughter had created, the couple had to join the crowds on the Mall and catch a glimpse of the Duchess via a periscope. It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton, to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every minute of it."
Kate's gown was hailed as a triumph; marrying tradition with modernity and echoing Grace Kelly's romantic, regal gown. The impeccably-crafted piece was a true collaboration between Kate and Sarah Burton, and many years from now will remain a classic, timeless example which I believe will inspire brides for many generations to come.
After casting a quick glance at his future sister-in-law, Prince Harry smiled, turned to William and said: "Wait till you see her." In just over three months William will be returning the favour :)
Protocol
Looking at the five gowns they all share similar traits; full skirts, long sleeves and trains. They all very much fulfil the 'fairy-tale princess' grown ideal too. Are there specific protocols the designer of a royal wedding has to follow? It turns out the answer is no. Elizabeth Emmanuel revealed "there was absolutely no instruction or protocol from the palace". No formal requirements are issued, however, it is expected the bride will take into the consideration the wedding is in the presence of the monarch and a gown for a day of national celebration.
I chatted with royal commentator Victoria Arbiter who kindly shared her thoughts: "There really aren't any set rules when it comes to wedding dresses but a certain level of decorum would be expected. Many have said that sleeveless is forbidden, but Zara didn't have her arms covered. Out of respect to the Church and the Queen's position I would imagine Meghan will have her shoulders covered, but having said that she and Harry have been doing whatever feels most appropriate to them and he will want her to go with the dress of her dreams. She will be very aware of the eyes of the world on her and I expect she will want to go with what is 'right' while also incorporating her own style, but no-one will be dictating what she can and can't have."