Royal wedding dressesare supposed to be the ultimate fashion fairytale, custom-made, impossibly expensive, and designed to go down in history.
But not every royal bride walks out looking like a vision.
Some gowns, like theAlexander McQueenmasterpiece worn byKate Middleton, become instant icons. Others, surprisingly, includingPrincess Diana's Elizabeth and David Emanuel dress, are deemed "ridiculous" and "terrible" by viewers.
From Diana's famously overhyped "mess" of a gown toPrincess Charlene of Monaco's Swarovski-studded Giorgio Armani masterpiece, these royal looks prove that even palace weddings aren't immune to fashion controversy.
Here are20 royal wedding gownsthat stirred public emotion and made headlines, some for better, others for worse.
For her 2011 wedding to Prince William, Catherine "Kate" Middleton wore a custom-designed gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, and it quickly became one of the most iconic royal wedding dresses of all time.The ivory ballgown featured a Victorian-inspired lace bodice, a subtle V-neckline, and long sheer lace sleeves that instantly drew comparisons to Monaco's Princess Grace Kelly's legendary 1956 wedding look.The gown combined English Cluny lace and French Chantilly lace, all of which was hand-cut and hand-appliquéd into symbolic floral motifs - Rose for England, Thistle for Scotland, Daffodil for Wales, and Shamrock for Ireland.The lacework was created using the historic Irish Carrickmacross technique, which Kate reportedly embraced as her "something old."Meanwhile, a small blue ribbon was sewn into the interior of the dress as her "something blue," adding a sentimental personal touch to the piece.The skirt was padded at the hips to resemble an opening flower, and the gown included a nearly 9-foot-long train that flowed dramatically behind her.The back was finished with 58 delicate buttons, made from gazar and organza and secured with Rouleau loops.Embroiderers working on the gown reportedly had to wash their hands every 30 minutes, and their needles were replaced every three hours to keep the garment immaculate.In fact, to prevent leaks, some lace makers were allegedly told they were working on a period drama costume, while McQueen seamstresses were told it was for a film.Even designer Sarah was bound by such strict agreements that she didn't even tell her own parents she was the designer until the eve of the wedding.To complete the look, Queen Elizabeth II loaned Kate the iconic Cartier Halo Tiara, a dazzling piece featuring 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 139 baguette diamonds, originally purchased by King George VI and gifted to the late Queen on her 18th birthday.Moreover, the gown was so culturally impactful that it later went on display at Buckingham Palace and drew a record-breaking 600,000 visitors in the summer of 2011 alone."One of my all time favorite wedding gowns! Suits her perfectly!" gushed one netizen.A second user added, "Absolutely gorgeous, my favorite royal wedding dress… [It] was going for 'timeless' and succeeded.""To me, Kate's dress is what 12 year old me envisioned a princess bride to look like… very much Barbie doll," wrote a third."10/10 for the wedding gown. It fit her new role as a royal, it was reminiscent of Grace Kelly."While the majority loved the dress, there were some critics who were not pleased with the "bodice part" noting it "just looks a bit off.""It isn't my most favorite the bodice area isn't perfect for my taste," wrote one user, while another added, "I wish the neck didn't have that piece of lace that wraps high around her neck and to the back. It's my only quibble with it.""I really did not love her wedding dress personally but I thought it fit the occasion."
© Photo:Samir Hussein/Getty Images
For her 2011 wedding to Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene of Monaco went full high-fashion royalty in a custom Giorgio Armani Privé gown.The sleek ivory silk duchesse dress featured a shoulder-baring neckline and a sculpted, modern silhouette.It was adorned with a jaw-dropping 40,000 Swarovski crystals and 20,000 mother-of-pearl teardrops, along with thousands of additional stones, creating a shimmering "sea spray" effect under the lights.The couture creation reportedly took around 2,500 hours to complete, with hundreds of those hours dedicated solely to the embroidery.Armani's team also used roughly 426 feet of silk, and the gown was finished with a dramatic 16-foot train that glided behind her.Because the look was so intricate, Armani's team reportedly madethree versions of the same dressjust in case anything went wrong.Charlene's veil was equally headline-making, measuring an astonishing 66 feet, though it was kept relatively simple so the crystal-heavy gown remained the centerpiece.To complete her royal wedding look, Charlene skipped a traditional tiara, and instead wore diamond floral hair clips tucked into her low-slung bun.The pieces were loaned to her by her sister-in-law, Princess Caroline, and Charlene toldVoguethey once belonged to Caroline's grandmother.She also reportedly had a small blue ribbon sewn inside the gown for good luck.As for her wedding dress, Princess Charlene told the outlet, "The wedding dress is pretty heavy so I wanted to change into something light, soft and easy to move in for the evening."
© Photo:Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
For her 1981 wedding to King Charles III, Princess Diana wore a wedding dress that defined an entire era of royal bridal fashion.Designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, the iconic gown was made from ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, delivering peak 1980s fairytale maximalism in every possible way.The silhouette featured a ruffled neckline, dramatic puff sleeves trimmed with lace and bows, and a full crinoline skirt that looked straight out of a storybook.But the most headline-making detail was the train. Measuring a jaw-dropping 25 feet long, it remains the longest train ever worn by a British royal bride.It was so massive that it had to be folded "like a bedsheet" just to fit into the carriage, and Diana reportedly told bridesmaid India Hicks to do her "best" while carrying it down the aisle.The gown was also packed with intricate detail. It was hand-embroidered with around 10,000 mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls, and featured antique Carrickmacross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary.Diana's custom tulle veil was also stitched with 10,000 micro-pearls to create what designer Elizabeth Emanuel later described as a "fairy dust effect," ensuring she shimmered as she walked down the aisle.Diana had a small blue bow sewn into the waistband for her "something blue," and an 18-carat gold horseshoe charm set with diamonds stitched into the label for good luck.To finish her bridal look, Diana chose the Spencer Tiara, a family heirloom previously worn by her sisters, instead of borrowing a tiara from Queen Elizabeth II.However, despite its dreamy design, the dress came with its own chaos.Diana accidentally spilled perfume on the front of the gown shortly before the ceremony, forcing her to hold the fabric a certain way to hide the stain.Moreover, silk taffeta creases easily, and once the gown was folded into the coach, it emerged visibly wrinkled, something that reportedly horrified the designers as they watched the broadcast.Even decades later, much of the conversation around Princess Diana's wedding dress remains surprisingly negative, with many critics still fixated on the creases and overall silhouette.One fashion critic noted, "Even as a kid I thought Diana's was ugly. Ever since then I have thought it was ugly. I can't imagine it ever being considered a classic—anything other than exemplary 'wow so eighties."'Another wrote, "The train is indeed impressive but the dress looks like flouncy furniture covers to me. She was so young and beautiful, they overdress her.""Agreed. Diana's dress ended up being an unruly tremendous wrinkled mess. Truly unfortunate no matter if we are considering the decade or not," added a third user."Honestly, same. I know absolutely nothing about fashion and am very fond of Diana but this dress (to me) seemed ill fitting and even though it was expensive, those sleeves made it look cheap, like those plasticky dresses you get for halloween."
© Photo:Fox Photos/Getty Images
For her 1951 wedding to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Queen Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary wore a gown that remains one of the most dramatic and physically demanding royal wedding looks in history.Designed by Christian Dior himself, the dress was a true masterpiece of mid-century couture glamour, crafted from an astonishing 37 yards of silver silk lamé that gave it a metallic, almost liquid sheen.But the real spectacle was in the embellishment.The gown was reportedly encrusted with 6,000 diamonds and trimmed with nearly 20,000 marabou feathers, creating a frosted, shimmering texture that looked more like wearable art than bridal fashion.The silhouette was pure Dior, a voluminous ballgown with a massive train, paired with a matching long-sleeved jacket that added even more structure and grandeur.However, the gown was reportedly so heavy that it became difficult for Soraya to move, and the situation was made even worse because she had recently recovered from typhoid and was still physically weak.In fact, just minutes before the ceremony, the Shah and one of his aides allegedly had to take scissors and cut off part of the train and petticoats to lighten the dress so she could stand comfortably.To complete the look, Soraya reportedly wore a dazzling diamond-and-emerald set by Harry Winston, and because the Marble Palace was freezing in February, she finished the ensemble with a full-length white mink wrap.While most fashion historians have dubbed her Dior gown one of the most unforgettable wedding dresses ever worn, netizens seemed to disagree, pointing to the sheer excess of the look.One critic wrote, "Too much shine, bright, pearls, diamonds, too much of everything... It doesn't look like a Dior dress. I don't like it.""Good lord, talk about sumptuous," said another, while a third added, "It must have been exhausting for her to drag that monstrous, heavy dress all night !!"
© Photo:Sandro Vespasiani/Getty Images
For her 2004 wedding to Prince Friso, Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau delivered one of the most unforgettable, and divisive, bridal looks in modern royal history.Instead of going the usual lace-and-pearls route, she commissioned Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf to create a gown that felt more like wearable art than a traditional wedding dress.The snow-white silk georgette creation featured a clean bateau neckline, long sleeves, and a modest A-line silhouette, keeping the overall shape elegant and restrained.But the real drama came from the bow details, as the entire gown was adorned with 248 handmade bows, which began as small accents near the neckline and gradually grew larger as they cascaded down the skirt.The hem and train featured the most dramatic bows, with the largest one sitting at the end of her nearly 10-foot-long train.According to reports, it took a team of four people around 600 hours to complete the gown, with much of that time spent crafting each bow and hand-stitching them onto the fabric one by one.Viktor & Rolf later described the bow motif as a symbol of "everlasting ties," offering a playful, fashion-forward twist on royal bridal tradition.To complete the look, Mabel wore the Mellerio Diamond Tiara, a historic Dutch royal heirloom.Notably, she chose a version featuring only diamonds, removing the rubies to match the crisp white palette of her dress.The gown later went on to be featured in Viktor & Rolf's Fashion Artists exhibition, cementing its status as one of the most architecturally iconic royal gowns ever created.However, many netizens were not fans of the look, especially the massive bow details on the train.One critic expressed, "Bows on a wedding dress never bring good luck! Diana's dress also had a bow on the neckline and others on the sleeves!"A second added, "love this dress until it gets to the big bows on the train. then it gives 'i'm bored with this, let's just get it done' vibes."I think a plain train with this dress would have made this a beautiful gown," wrote a third, while another commented, "I usually love a bow… but [here's] too much, much too much - it's wearing her.""Remove the giant bows on the train and it looks better… It doesn't complement the dress."
© Photo:Michel Porro/Getty Images
For her 2004 wedding to Prince Felipe, Queen Letizia of Spain wore a gown so extravagant it literally made history.Designed by legendary Spanish couturier Manuel Pertegaz, the dress is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the most expensive royal wedding dress of all time, with its cost estimated at around £6 million (roughly $10.7 million in 2004).Crafted from off-white Valencia silk woven on traditional looms specifically for the commission, the gown blended old-world Spanish grandeur with sharp, modern structure.Its most striking feature was the dramatic high-standing "corolla" collar, shaped like a flower. It was double-sided and heavily embroidered, requiring major internal construction just to hold its sculptural shape.The fitted bodice and long sleeves gave the look an 18th-century influence, while the skirt flared into a nearly 15-foot circular train that trailed behind her.What truly drove the record-breaking price tag, however, was the embroidery.The collar, cuffs, and hem were reportedly woven with real gold and silver threads, stitched into symbolic heraldic motifs including fleur-de-lys for the House of Bourbon, ears of wheat for fertility and hope, lilies, clover, and even strawberry tree fruits, a nod to Madrid's famous Madroño symbol.Letizia's veil was equally meaningful, a silk tulle piece gifted by Felipe and hand-embroidered with wreaths and additional fleur-de-lys, adding yet another layer of royal symbolism.To complete the look, she wore the Prussian Diamond Tiara, a kokoshnik-style diamond and platinum heirloom loaned by her mother-in-law Queen Sofía, who had also worn it on her own wedding day in 1962.One netizen wrote online, "She looked stunning… I love that she mixed metallics, it made the embroidery look so lovely."Others disagreed, writing, "It looks like a disneyland mascot costume i just can't behind that hideous neckline lol.""It's glorious for the queen but not for a wedding look," wrote one, while another commented, "I didn't like that dress on her, it looked like it was swallowing her since she had such a petite frame.""Idk about the fabric, her skirt looks so crumpled giving the dress such an unkempt look, and for a royal wedding."
© Photo:Tim Graham/Getty Images
Beatrice Borromeo's 2015 wedding to Pierre Casiraghi, grandson of Princess Grace of Monaco, was a true high-fashion affair, featuring five couture gowns that made her nuptials one of the most stylish royal-adjacent weddings in recent times.For her civil ceremony, Beatrice wore a stunning Valentino Haute Couture gown in pale pink and gold lace silk chiffon.The design exuded a romantic, bohemian vibe with three-quarter-length sleeves, and she completed the look with a simple floral crown headband.The choice of Valentino was reportedly personal, as her uncle, Count Matteo Marzotto, had previously served as president of the fashion house.The main religious service took place on her family's private Borromean Islands, which have belonged to the House of Borromeo since the 14th century.Beatrice opted for a custom Giorgio Armani Privé ivory lace gown with a high neckline, long sleeves, and a demure silk tulle veil.And rather than a tiara, she accessorized with family heirloom brooches and fresh flowers.Guests at the celebrations included both international stars like Lana Del Rey and royal figures, such as Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.One of the most famous looks from her wedding was her Armani PrivéGreek goddess-style dressfor the couple's reception, which has long been considered one of the most beautiful bridal looks of all time.The internet seemed to agree, with one fan writing, "The Valentino dress and her Armani reception look with the cape are my fave!"
© Photo:JacopoR/PierreS/Getty Images
For her 1960 wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones, Princess Margaret made royal fashion history, donning an extremely simple gown.Designed by Norman Hartnell, her silk organza gown was so minimal thatLifemagazine reportedly dubbed it "the simplest royal wedding gown in history."The dress featured a tailored bodice with a modest V-neckline, long slim sleeves, and only the faintest touch of crystal embellishment, with Hartnell deliberately avoiding heavy beading or embroidery so the gown wouldn't overwhelm Margaret's petite frame.The skirt remained dramatically voluminous, using an estimated 98 feet of fabric to create a sweeping silhouette, and instead of letting the dress steal the show, Margaret let her jewels do the talking.She paired the understated gown with the dazzling Poltimore Tiara, a Victorian-era diamond piece made by Garrard.Unlike most royal brides who borrow from the family vault, Margaret famously bought her own tiara, purchasing it at auction in 1959 for £5,500 (roughly $215,000 USD today).Moreover, the tiara was designed to be versatile, meaning it could be broken down into a necklace and 11 separate brooches.One of its most unique details was the way the framework was laced with a brown ribbon to match Margaret's hair color, giving the illusion that the diamonds were floating.Margaret's ceremony became a media milestone, as it was the first royal wedding ever broadcast on television, reaching an estimated 300 million viewers worldwide.Despite the simplicity of her look, many were fans of the classic silhouette of the late royal's dress.One user expressed, "I love a bit of Norman Hartnell. Itnever looks unfashionable, just very, very beautiful and classy."Another added, "Imagine wearing such a gorgeous dress made to fit you perfectly, from these incredible fabrics."A third person said, "The simplicity of the dress was breathtaking. No one expected it to be so elegant, as Hartnell was known for highly embellished royal gowns. The triumph was the Poltimore tiara!""Margaret's gown is an all-time favourite. it's so classically elegant and I love how it balances the magnificent opulence of her crown."
© Photo:Bettmann/Getty Images
For her 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie delivered one of the most meaningful royal bridal looks in recent history, pairing elegance with a powerful message of self-acceptance.The gown was designed by British duo Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, who worked closely with the bride and constructed the dress "layer by layer," building it from the "corset and complex underskirt to the fitted bodice and full pleated skirt."The result was a classic A-line silhouette with long sleeves and a structured, portrait-style neckline that folded softly around the shoulders.The skirt flowed into a sweeping cathedral train, giving the gown a timeless, regal finish.But the most striking detail was the dramatic low V-back, which Eugenie specifically requested so she could proudly show the scar she received at age 12 after undergoing surgery to correct scoliosis.During an interview appearance onThis Morning, the royalexplained, "I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it's really special to stand up for that.""It's a lovely way to honour the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this."In a rare move for a royal bride, Eugenie also skipped a veil entirely, ensuring the scar remained visible.Moreover, rather than heavy embellishment, the gown featured a custom jacquard weave of silk, cotton, and viscose, with meaningful motifs sewn directly into the design.The thistle represented Scotland and Balmoral, the shamrock honored her mother Sarah Ferguson's Irish roots, ivy nodded to the couple's former home at Ivy Cottage, and the York rose paid tribute to Eugenie's own family name.To finish the look, Eugenie borrowed the dazzling Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara from Queen Elizabeth II, a striking piece featuring a massive emerald centerpiece and rarely seen in public for decades before her wedding day.She paired it with diamond-and-emerald drop earrings gifted by Brooksbank, and completed the ensemble with Charlotte Olympia peep-toe heels.Fans echoed, "She had the open back with her scar showing, so beautiful and moving to see that kind of self love on display! And she looked beautiful!"
Advertisement
© Photo:Max Mumby/Getty Images
For her 2018 wedding toPrince Harry, Meghan Marklesurprised many by choosing a bridal look that was far more minimalist than people expected.Designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, the gown leaned into clean, architectural elegance rather than heavy embellishment, with the designer making history as the first female Artistic Director at the French fashion house.The pure white dress was crafted from a custom-developed double-bonded silk cady, giving it a smooth matte finish while still holding its sculptural shape.It featured a sleek open bateau neckline that framed Meghan's shoulders, paired with slim three-quarter sleeves and a sharply defined waist.The look was finished with a simple 9-foot train, while the structure underneath was built with a triple silk organza underskirt to add volume without adding weight.While the gown itself was deliberately free of lace or beading, Meghan's veil carried all the symbolism.Her 16-foot silk tulle veil was hand-embroidered with flora representing all 53 Commonwealth countries, along with personal additions like the California poppy for her home state and wintersweet, which reportedly grew in the couple's garden.The detailing was so delicate that the embroiderers were instructed to wash their hands every 20 to 30 minutes to keep the fabric and threads "pristine."Waight Keller later explained that because the look was "absolute pure white," it required extreme care to keep it "immaculately clean," and involved countless hours of workmanship.Meghan also included a deeply personal "something blue," which was a piece of fabric from the blue dress she wore on her first date with Harry, stitched into the lining of her veil.Even the veil's front edge carried meaning, with embroidered crops of wheat symbolizing love and charity.To complete the look, Meghan wore the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara on loan from Queen Elizabeth II, a striking Art Deco piece featuring a center brooch that dates back to 1893.The Duchess of Sussex's plain gown split the internet, as many dubbed it one of the most "elegant" royal wedding dresses, while others thought it was an "ill-fitted gown."One viewer gushed, "Meghan Markle's was beautiful. Simple yet Elegant.""I think all of their wedding gowns were stunning beautiful but i personally like Meghan's. Much more personal more simple. And sleek," chimed in a second.However, some fashion police said, "I was so excited to see what Meghan wore, and it was such a disappointment. I feel like… it was too big? By like, a lot? It just gave absolutely nothing.""I like Meghan, but I'll never understand how they could make such an ill fitted but expensive dress…"
© Photo:Jane Barlow/Getty Images
For her 2000 wedding to King Letsie III of Lesotho, Queen Consort Masenate Mohato Seeiso delivered a regal bridal look, featuring a stark white gown with long sleeves and a lace bodice that transitioned into a layered, split-front skirt.The skirt was heavily embellished with glittering beads, including intricate crown motifs, while a bejeweled cummerbund cinched the waist.A dramatic cathedral-length train extended from the back of the gown, complemented by a sheer, cathedral-length veil secured beneath a towering diamond wedding crown inspired by Basotho tradition, rather than a European-style tiara.Not only was Queen Masenate's bridal look iconic, but her wedding was also historic, as she became the first commoner in modern Lesotho history to marry into the royal family.The ceremony took place at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru before arecord-breaking audienceof 40,000 guests, including dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela and the then-Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.In a further historic move, breaking with regional polygamous traditions, King Letsie III publicly declared at the ceremony that Masenate would be his only wife.
© Photo:Patrick ROBERT/Getty Images
For her 2013 wedding to Christopher O'Neill in Stockholm, Princess Madeleine of Sweden wore a fairytale Valentino Haute Couture gown.Designed by the legendary Valentino Garavani, the ivory silk organza dress featured a wide boat neckline, short sleeves, and a deep-cut back, with small vertical pleats emphasizing her waist and opening into a full, flowing skirt.The gown concluded in a dramatic 13-foot train, while the hem featured a heavily appliquéd ruffle playfully nicknamed a "dust ruffle" by fashion critics for its voluminous effect.Princess Madeleine paired the gown with a 20-foot silk organza veil, edged with tulle, scattered with point d'esprit dots, and accented with delicate Chantilly lace orange blossoms.Breaking from her family's traditional Cameo Tiara, she wore her own Modern Fringe Tiara, a personal gift from her parents, decorated at its base with floral detailing.While the princess looked ethereal on her big day, seamstresses reportedly had to help her into the gown just hours before the ceremony due to last-minute weight changes from nerves, and the wide neckline kept slipping off her shoulders during the service.Despite these minor setbacks, Madeleine appeared radiant as she walked down the aisle in front of 470 European royals and New York socialites."Working with Princess Madeleine has just been so easy," designer Valentino Garavani said in a public statement."She is a very lovely girl. She is modern, fun, full of energy and enthusiasm, and she is so beautiful. It has been a pleasure and an honor."One fan said, "Oooo, so feminine and girlie and pretty the lace, the tiara w flowers, spectacular veil /train…"A second user wrote, "I love this dress, it's beautiful and fits her so well. Everything about her look is perfect!""She's just beautiful, regardless of what she wears. I wish the shoulders of her dress were equal on each side, seemed like one kept slipping lower than the other. That's just tailoring. She looked amazing and it's a great dress!"
© Photo:Anna Lu Lundholm/Getty Images
For her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II wore a gown that became a symbol of hope for a country still recovering from World War II.Because Britain was still under strict post-war rationing, even the royal family wasn't exempt from clothing restrictions at the time.The late queen reportedly had to use clothing coupons to pay for her wedding dress, and the government granted her an additional 200 coupons for the special occasion.Designer Norman Hartnell created the now-legendary gown with the help of a team of 350 women in less than three months.The dress was inspired by Sandro Botticelli's paintingPrimavera, a celebration of spring, and a fitting metaphor for a nation stepping out of war and into rebuilding itself.Made from ivory Duchesse satin, the long-sleeved gown featured a soft sweetheart neckline and a flattering fit-and-flare silhouette, but it was the embroidery that truly made the piece unforgettable.The bodice was adorned with delicate star flowers, roses, jasmine blossoms, and ears of wheat, and was reportedly encrusted with diamanté and an astonishing 10,000 hand-sewn seed pearls imported from the United States, alongside thousands of white beads and crystals.The back of the dress was finished with 22 buttons, and the look was completed with a dramatic train measuring roughly 15 feet.Because the war had only recently ended, the palace even had to address where the silk came from, officially confirming it was sourced from "nationalist" China rather than silkworms linked to Japan or Italy, in order to avoid public backlash.To keep the gown secret, Hartnell reportedly went to extreme lengths, including whitewashing his studio windows and covering them with muslin to prevent American "snoopers" across the street from catching a glimpse of the design.For her "something borrowed," Elizabeth wore the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara, a family heirloom that once belonged to her grandmother, Mary of Teck.However, the tiara reportedly snapped in half on the morning of the wedding while being placed on her head.It was rushed under police escort to the royal jeweler for an emergency repair just in time.Looking back decades later, several fashion enthusiasts have dubbed the gown an "extraordinary bridal dress for the 40s era."One fan of the look wrote, "She looks so happy. Such a genuine smile! I've always thought the dress was gorgeous…"A second chimed in, "This is my favorite royal wedding dress. I feel like it's both timeless and so of the time.""Wow! I'd never seen the color photos before! The stars really stand out (in a good way). I love the tiara she wore, it's so sparkly!" a third user said."And this was still under post-war rationing. The govt allowed extra coupons but it wasn't as extravagant as it could have been."
© Photo:Universal History Archive/Getty Images
For her 2005 wedding to King Charles III, Queen Camilla's bridal style was noticeably more understated than the royal spectacle of Charles' first marriage, and her fashion choices reflected that shift perfectly.Rather than opting for one grand "princess" gown, Camilla wore two separate Robinson Valentine ensembles, both tailored to suit the tone of the day and her status as a second-time bride.For the couple's daytime civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall, Camilla chose a tea-length cream silk chiffon dress with scalloped edging and subtle appliqué detailing along the hem.She layered it with a matching oyster-toned silk overcoat, keeping the look elegant and deliberately low-key.Instead of a tiara, she finished the outfit with a dramatic Philip Treacy wide-brimmed hat in cream, overlaid with delicate lace and feather accents.Later, for the Service of Prayer and Dedication at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, Camilla changed into a far more ceremonial second look.She stepped out in a floor-length powder blue silk chiffon dress, partially covered by an intricate blue and gold embroidered coat, which added a regal touch without feeling overly traditional.She once again skipped a tiara, instead wearing a golden feather fascinator featuring sparkling details and designed to resemble a stylized laurel wreath.Royal Wardrobe writerDanielle Staceylater praised Camilla's outfits as "appropriate for the time," noting that in 2005, most "second-time brides in high society would probably not wear white."Stacey also suggested Camilla's more muted bridalwear reflected the public narrative surrounding the lovebirds at the time, as a conventional white royal wedding gown could have been seen as tactless."If she had worn a more conventional, white wedding dress at the time, it may have been seen as a tactless move."Instead, Camilla reserved her softer cream look for the civil ceremony and saved the more symbolic, "royal" color palette for the blessing.
© Photo:Hugo Bernand/Getty Images
For her 1995 wedding to Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, Marie-Chantal went full couture.The ceremony took place in London and was reportedly so packed with monarchs and world leaders that it was famously dubbed the largest gathering of royalty in the city since Queen Elizabeth II's 1947 wedding.For the occasion, Marie-Chantal wore an ivory silk Valentino gown that featured a high neckline, a cinched waist, and long lace sleeves, with a tulip-shaped front that gave the silhouette a structured finish.The gown reportedly used 12 different types of lace, including silk tulle, and was heavily encrusted with pearls that shimmered under the ceremony lights.Floral motifs were woven throughout the lacework, while the ivory skirt was decorated with intricate rose appliqués and medallions, which many fashion historians still consider the standout feature of the entire look.The creation was so labor-intensive that it reportedly took a team of 25 seamstresses four months of continuous work to complete.Behind her trailed a dramatic 15-foot Chantilly lace train with a scalloped edge and delicate butterfly embroidery.The cathedral-length veil also featured a butterfly motif hand-embroidered into the lace, a traditional symbol of good luck.To complete the look, Marie-Chantal secured her veil with the Antique Corsage Tiara, a diamond heirloom loaned by her mother-in-law, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.Years later, the gown became a centerpiece in the Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition at Somerset House in London, giving the public a rare close-up view of its intricate pearl work and layered lace.One amused viewer said, "She looks very elegant w the tiara and her hair up. Her dress and train are beautiful… The intricate details are amazing."A second netizen commented, "The dress was perfection. If I was a bride today I would still love a dress like this. The beading/embroidery at the bottom of the dress is stunning - could not be better.""Yessss this is my all time favorite royal wedding dress of modern times!!! Right after Grace Kelly's, the loveliest of the 90s."However, certain details of the dress failed to wow social media users.One critic wrote, "I do NOT like her veil. It looks heavy and weighs petite Marie Chantal down. Its busy pattern competes w the dress and it covers the train."
© Photo:Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images
For her 1968 wedding to then-Crown Prince Harald, Queen Sonja embraced a bridal look that felt refreshingly modern.Instead of turning to Paris couture, she chose a gown by Oslo fashion house Molstad, making the lookfeel distinctly Norwegian.Made from white silk jersey, the dress featured a clean A-line silhouette with long sleeves and a high, structured neckline that gave it an almost space-age elegance.Rather than heavy lace or ornate embroidery, the design relied on minimal embellishment, with artificial pearls and crystals delicately placed along the collar and sprinkled at the cuffs of the sleeves.She wore a detachable train, which was attached at the shoulders for a cape-like effect as she walked through Oslo Cathedral.In another surprising break from tradition, Sonja skipped a tiara entirely and instead wore a floral headpiece made of artificial white flowers, styled in a rosette to match the gown's soft detailing.Sonja's dress also became a symbol of her perseverance and eventual acceptance into the royal fold, as the couple had to wait nine years to marry because she was a commoner at the time.Reportedly, while the dress was custom-made by Molstad, its design was so modern and accessible that it sparked a trend for ready-to-wear bridal styles across Scandinavia in the early '70s.The gown is now part of the National Museum's collection in Oslo and is frequently displayed as a masterpiece of 20th-century Norwegian fashion.
© Photo:Sjöberg Bildbyrå/Getty Images
For her 2020 wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Beatrice made royal history by choosing a gown with deep personal and historical significance.Rather than commissioning a new dress, she wore a vintage ivory peau de soie taffeta gown originally designed by Norman Hartnell for her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.The Queen had worn the dress on three separate occasions, a 1961 state dinner at the British Embassy in Rome, the 1962 premiere of Lawrence of Arabia, and again in 1966 at the State Opening of Parliament.The gown's bodice featured a geometric checkerboard pattern encrusted with hand-carved crystals and diamantes, which gently trickled down onto the skirt.For Beatrice's wedding, the dress was carefully modernized under the direction of the Queen's dresser, Angela Kelly, and designer Stewart Parvin.Triple-organza puff sleeves were added for a more bridal silhouette, while the skirt was lined in Duchesse satin to enhance its structure and provide subtle homage to her mother Sarah Ferguson's 1986 wedding dress.Beatrice complemented the gown with the Queen Mary Diamond Fringe Tiara, a treasured family heirloom that Queen Elizabeth II famously wore on her own wedding day in 1947 and that had also been worn by Princess Anne.A source toldPEOPLEmagazine, "The Queen saved this grand tiara specifically for Beatrice. It was always reserved for her as they are exceptionally close."Beatrice became the first British royal bride in generations to wear a pre-owned dress, a choice celebrated both for its sustainability and emotional significance.Moreover, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the wedding was a private affair at The Royal Chapel of All Saints, with the public only learning of it once the official photos were released.Following the wedding, the gown was displayed at Windsor Castle, allowing admirers to marvel at the 60-year-old craftsmanship and timeless elegance of Hartnell's design.One fan gushed online, "I loved Princess Beatrice's dress, especially with the sleeves. So romantic without being tawdry.""Came here to say this! I loved that it was QEII's dress and it fit their intimate Covid era celebration perfectly. The tiara elevated it so well and I was OBSESSED with her florals," wrote another user.A third chimed in, "She definitely has my favorite, wearing her grandmother's dress!! It's so gorgeous and I love the small edits she made. She must have felt really special wearing her dress.""It really is one of the better wedding dresses and the changes she made to the dress are just perfect!"
© Photo:The Royal Family Channel
For her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Grace Kelly wore what is still considered the gold standard of royal bridal fashion.Designed by her longtime MGM wardrobe designer, Helen Rose, the legendary gown was a parting gift from Kelly's studio bosses as she transitioned from Hollywood royalty to the Monaco royal household.Handmade inside MGM's ateliers, the dress reportedly took 30 seamstresses and hundreds of hours of work, using over 400 yards of fabric, including antique Belgian lace, ivory silk faille, peau de soie, and delicate silk net.The silhouette featured a high-neck lace bodice with long sleeves, buttoned detailing, and intricate embroidery adorned with hand-sewn seed pearls.The skirt was equally iconic, crafted from pleated silk faille taffeta in a bell-shaped silhouette that balanced softness with structure.In a deliberate break from royal tradition, Kelly skipped a tiara entirely, instead wearing a lace Juliet cap decorated with pearls and wax orange blossoms.Her circular veil was stitched at the edges to showcase two tiny lovebirds, and was designed so her face stayed visible for the millions watching the ceremony on television.And in the most charming "old Hollywood" detail of all, shoe designer David Evins allegedly hid a copper penny inside her right shoe for good luck.Decades later, the dress remains so culturally significant that it is now on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Kelly donated it shortly after the wedding as a tribute to her hometown."One of the greatest, most iconic wedding dresses of all time," agreed several viewers."The bridal gown that has never been topped. So exquisite," wrote one netizen, while a second commented, "Utterly fabulous and I can see some of the inspiration years later with Kate Middleton's wedding dress!""My favorite wedding dress ever. If I ever get married I hope to find something similar."
© Photo:Daily Express/Getty Images
For her 2004 wedding to then-Crown Prince Frederik, Mary, Queen of Denmark, wore a gown that seamlessly blended Danish royal tradition with touches of her Australian heritage.Designed by Danish couturier Uffe Frank, the dress was handmade from ivory duchesse satin with a soft, "mother-of-pearl" sheen that shimmered beautifully under the cathedral lights.The gown featured a classic princess-style ballgown silhouette, with the skirt lined using 31 metres of tulle to give it its signature volume.One of its most striking details was the quarter-length sleeves, which Frank famously dubbed "Calla sleeves," as they were designed to fold and open like the petals of a calla lily.The skirt was equally unique, featuring panels that opened from the hip to reveal eight metres of heirloom Irish lace along the hem.The lace itself carried major royal history, as it was originally gifted to Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden and has been passed down through generations of Scandinavian royalty.Mary's look was finished with a dramatic 19-foot detachable train, along with an antique Irish lace veil first worn by Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden in 1905.Notably, Mary became the first bride not born into a royal family to be granted the honor of wearing the heirloom veil.In one of the most emotional details of the entire look, Mary reportedly had her late mother Henrietta Donaldson's wedding ring stitched into the lining of the bodice, positioned close to her heart.Her bridal bouquet also included Australian eucalyptus alongside white roses and a sprig of myrtle from Fredensborg Palace.To complete the ensemble, Mary wore a diamond tiara gifted by her parents-in-law, Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik that featured fleur-de-lis motifs and was later updated in 2011 to include detachable pearls.Queen Mary's wedding fashion was widely praised online, with many admiring both the craftsmanship and the symbolic importance behind the look.One fan wrote, "I love that it highlights those lovely collarbones! Very flattering. Looks like Disney royalty!"Another commenter added, "It's a gorgeous gown. I almost never like tall, structural bateau necklines… but this one makes it look interesting without taking away from the shape of the queen's body which is nice.""I still think this is the single best royal wedding dress I've ever seen, even better than Kate's which was gorgeous… This look pure simplicity focusing on the gorgeous cut and fabric. It's so perfect and timeless," said a third user.
© Photo:Tim Graham/Getty Images
For her 1993 wedding to Abdullah II of Jordan at Zahran Palace, Queen Rania stepped out in a bridal look that felt like the perfect meeting point between Western couture and Middle Eastern tradition.Designed by British couturier Bruce Oldfield, famously one of Princess Diana's go-to designers, Rania's wedding ensemble was not a single gown, but a striking two-piece creation that instantly stood out from typical royal bridalwear.The look featured a voluminous ivory silk ballgown skirt with deep, dramatic folds, cinched at the waist with a structured belt.Instead of a strapless bodice or lace-heavy detailing, Oldfield paired the skirt with a fitted bolero-style jacket, complete with three-quarter-length sleeves and a high, embellished neckline.The collar, sleeves, and hem of the ensemble were heavily decorated with gold thread embroidery, while the bodice was encrusted with intricate beadwork.Oldfield reportedly drew inspiration from formal Syrian court gowns he studied at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, and you could see that influence in the ornate structure of the outfit.In another unexpected move, instead of a tiara, Rania wore a white-and-gold headband wrapped around her high bun, designed to match the dress and secure her veil.She finished the look with wrist-length gloves and a soft veil, adding a classic bridal touch to an ensemble that was otherwise bold and incredibly dramatic."I loved Queen Rania of Jordan. It's somehow very early-1990s and yet still classic. Designer was Bruce Oldfield (one of Diana's favorites)," wrote one user on Reddit.
© Photo:Maher Attar/Getty Images
