With the highly
anticipated royal wedding taking place in just over a week’s time between
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, we thought we would look back on royal weddings
through the years.
Royal weddings have always
caused great excitement for the British public. People line the streets to
watch the bridal vehicles drive by, waving flags and cheering. The feeling of
patriotism is overwhelming, creating a nationwide party!
On February 10th
1840, Queen Victoria walked down the aisle to marry Prince Albert. She has been
credited with starting the trend for white wedding dresses, this meant that she
was much easier to spot as she paraded through London. She chose a cream silk
satin gown trimmed with lace, a lace veil and an orange blossom headdress. The
dress was designed and made by British designers and suppliers.
The first royal wedding to
be captured on film was the marriage of Prince Albert to Lady Elizabeth
Bowes-Lyon (aka the Queen’s Mother) on April 26 1923. It was thought that
making the wedding a more public affair would lift the gloomy post-war spirit.
Their wedding broke the royal tradition by being held at Westminster Abbey,
rather than a Royal chapel.
The wedding of Princess
Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten in 1947 was a hugely celebrated affair, and
despite the wet November weather, people waited for up to 19 hours to watch the
Princess make her way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey. The service
was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on live radio. The Princess had to
save up her clothing rations in order to pay for her wedding dress, and women
all over the country sent their coupons to the Princess to help. The dress
designer was a leading British fashion designer, Norman Hartnell, and the silk
was woven at Lullingstone Castle in Kent.
The Prince of Wales wed
Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981 and it was the royal wedding to trump all
royal weddings. Around 750 million people watched the marriage take place,
making it the most viewed television broadcast of all time. Princess Diana wore
a gown designed by David & Elizabeth Emanuel and was valued then at £9,000.
With a 25ft train, made from ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, it became one
of the most famous dresses in the world.
The wedding of Prince
William to Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011 was on a similar scale to that
of his parents. The occasion was a national holiday in the UK and celebrations
were held around the commonwealth. Over 5,000 street parties were hosted in the
United Kingdom and around one million people lined the route between
Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.
The ceremony was viewed live by tens of millions around the world,
including 72 million live streams on YouTube. Princess Catherine wore a bridal
dress designed by London-based designers Sarah Burton and Alexander McQueen.
