With the Royal Wedding just a few days away and the anticipation of what Megan Markle’s wedding dress would look like, I decided to take a trip back memory lane. I compiled a list with the most beautiful and iconic wedding dresses that Royal brides wore at their big day. My favorites are Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco wedding dress that was designed by Academy Award-winning costume designer Helen Rose. It was the ultimate fairy princess look. Princess Marie-Chantel’s of Greece ivory lace Valentino gown studded with rose appliques and sleeves decorated with more floral motifs. Last but not least, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s iconic dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, featured Victorian-inspired corsetry, long sleeves, and a delicate lace flower collar.
ROYAL BRIDES & THEIR WEDDING DRESSES
Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip Mountbatten
Princess Elizabeth—now Queen Elizabeth II— married Prince Philip Mountbatten on November 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey. She wore Norman Hartnell long-sleeve dress with a high neckline, tailored bodice, and short train.
Queen Soraya of Iran Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Queen Soraya of Iran married Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi on February 12, 1951, and Marble Palace in Tehran. She wore a 44-pound strapless dress made of 37 yards of silver lamé, studded with pearls, 6,000 diamond pieces, and 20,000 marabou feathers.
Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco Prince Rainier
Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco married Prince Rainier in the Palace Throne Room of Monaco on April 18, 1956. Academy Award-winning costume designer Helen Rose designed the wedding dress, the ultimate fairy princess look. It featured an embroidered pearl and Brussels lace bodice.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles of Wales
Princess Diana married Prince Charles of Wales married on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Deemed the “most closely guarded secret in fashion history,” her wedding dress was created by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The elaborately embroidered gown studded 10,000 pearls and had a 25-foot-long train.
Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson Prince Andrew
Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson married Prince Andrew on July 23, 1986, at Westminster Abbey. Ferguson’s wedding dress, designed by Lindka Cierach, featured heavy beadwork, depicting symbols that were personally significant to the couple—including hearts, anchors, thistles, and bumblebees.
Princess Masako of Japan Prince Naruhito
Princess Masako of Japan wore an ivory gown with a large, ruffled neckline on her wedding day on June 9, 1993. She and Prince Naruhito held their wedding at the Shinto shrine of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Queen Rania of Jordan Prince Abdullah
Queen Rania of Jordan married Prince Abdullah on June 10, 1993, in Amman. She wore an intricate gown, created by British designer Bruce Oldfield, with a voluminous skirt and gold-detailed trim.
Princess Marie-Chantel of Greece Prince Pavlos
Princess Marie-Chantel of Greece married Prince Pavlos on July 1, 1995, at St Sophia’s Cathedral in London. She wore an ivory lace Valentino gown studded with rose appliques and sleeves decorated with more floral motifs.
Queen Letizia Ortiz of Spain King Felipe
Queen Letizia Ortiz of Spain married King Felipe in the Cathedral Santa María la Real de la Almudena in Madrid, on May 22, 2004. Her wedding gown, designed by Manuel Pertegaz, consists of natural silk, woven with silver and gold thread, and a 15-foot train.
Mary Donaldson of Denmark Crown Prince Frederik
Mary Donaldson of Denmark married Crown Prince Frederik on May 14, 2004, at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark. Donaldson’s wedding dress, created by Danish designer Uffe Frank, was made of an ivory duchess satin with a scoop neckline, a slim-fit bodice, and lily-like sleeves.
Princess Victoria Prince Daniel of Sweden
Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden married on June 19, 2010, at Storkyrkan church in Stockholm, Sweden. She wore a wedding dress made of cream duchess silk satin with a detachable 16-foot train, a rounded collar, and minimal embellishments.
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton Prince William
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and Prince William held their wedding at Westminster Abbey on August 29, 2011. Kate Middleton’s iconic dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. It featured Victorian-inspired corsetry, long sleeves, and a delicate lace flower collar.
Princess of Monaco Charlene Wittstock Prince Albert II
Princess of Monaco Charlene Wittstock married and Prince Albert II on July 2, 2011, at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. The Armani wedding dress featured an off-the-shoulder top and embroidery consisting of 40,000 Swarovski crystals, 20,000 mother of pearl teardrops, and 30,000 gold stones.
Princess Madeleine of Sweden Christopher O’Neill
Princess Madeleine married Christopher O’Neill of Sweden in Stockholm on June 8, 2013. Designed by Valentino, Princess Madeleine’s gown had a wide neckline, short sleeves, a deep-cut back, and an emphasized waist. The dress was made from pleated silk organza with Chantilly lace.
Princess Sofia Hellqvist Prince Carl Philip
Sofia Hellqvist married Prince Carl Philip on June 13, 2015, at the Slottskyrkan church in Stockholm. Princess Sofia’s wedding dress, created by Swedish designer Ida Sjöstedt, an A-line silhouette, an open V-neck neckline, and an empire waist— including handmade lace in three shades of white.
