On July 29, 1981, 4 decades ago this month, Lady Diana Spencer stepped from a
carriage at St Paul's Cathedral to marry Prince Charles with what would soon be
referred to as dress from the century.
Diana's dress featured a considerable skirt complete having a record-breaking
25ft train and frothy folds of silk taffeta fit for any fairytale. 'That dress!'
BBC presenter Tom Fleming exclaimed because the soon-to-be princess smoothed the
gown around her. 'What an aspiration she looks,' commentator Angela Rippon added
while noting Diana's tiny waist which had shrunk from 29 into 23½in throughout
the couple's five-month engagement.
Decades later, we're re-examining exactly what went into Princess Diana's
legendary wedding gown, in the frock's creation and total cost to copious prom dresses fittings along with a secret backup gown that went missing.
Who designed Princess Diana's wedding gown?
Elizabeth and David Emanuel, a couple of duo within their late 20s who had
recently graduated from fashion school, designed Princess Diana's wedding dress.
Buckingham Palace shocked the planet when they announced the pair had been
commissioned to produce the royal wedding gown, but Lady Diana Spencer had
caused the Emanuels on several prior occasions and would be a fan of the
work.
How long was Diana's wedding train?
Princess Diana's wedding train would be a record-breaking 25ft long. To make
sure it might fit on the aisle, wedding gown designers Elizabeth and David
Emanuel secretly measured St Paul's cathedral having a tape measure.
How much did Princess Diana's wedding gown cost?
Princess Diana's ivory wedding dress cost approximately £9,000 ($12,000)
almost 30 years ago which is equal to about £36,800 ($50,000) today. David and
Elizabeth Emanuel as well as their head seamstress Nina Missetzis primarily
worked on the gown in addition to several additional seamstresses. In keeping
with tradition, the trio sourced the material from within Britain before
hand-embroidering 10,000 pearls and tiny sequins to the bodice from the silk
taffeta bodice and skirt.
Diana's dress also required five different bodices because of the
bride-to-be's swift weight reduction. When Lady Diana Spencer reached her first
dress fitting her waist measured 29in. By her big day, however, it would be a
tiny 23.5in. The Emanuels sewed Diana into the gown ahead of her marriage
ceremony so it wouldn't come loose.
How much did Diana's dress cost when compared with Kate Middleton and Meghan
Markle?
In comparison to her future daughters-in-law, Princess Diana's dress would be
a steal. Kate Middleton wore a £250,000 ($342,827) wedding dress designed by
Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen when she walked on the aisle this year —
which makes it the fifth priciest dress ever. In 2018, Meghan Markle married
Prince Harry inside a £200,000 ($274,240) white silk Givenchy gown. Both royal
brides also donned another dress for their evening receptions.
What happened to Diana's dress around the day of the wedding?
In addition to being sewn into the gown after losing more weight in front of
her wedding, Princess Diana accidentally spilled perfume on her behalf dress
just hours before walking on the aisle. The nervous bride-to-be dripped the
scent onto her dress while putting it on to her neck and wrists, but Elizabeth
and David Emanuel reportedly never discovered as Diana allow the spoiled section
from the dress air dry before 'tucking the front to cover any residue. Her
perfume of preference? Diana usually wore strong perfumes like Diorissimo by
Dior but chose Parisian perfume house Houbigant's Quelques Fleurs — a lighter
fragrance having a blend of jasmine, rose and tuberose — for her big day.
Did Diana possess a second wedding gown?
Princess Diana had three wedding gowns: The one she wore, a backup replica
dress that will later continue display at Madame Tussauds along with a secret
gown according to Diana's second choice design should the actual dress be
discovered or discovered before the official big day unveiling. The secret
backup dress was similar to the gown Diana wore — from the frilly sleeves to
defined waist — although much plainer. The dress somehow went missing following
the wedding and hasn't resulted to this day.
What was the cultural impact of the royal wedding gown?
Princess Diana's wedding gown quickly became one of the most famous garments
on the planet — with replica copies from the gown appearing in shop windows in
London just hours after details from the gown were announced. Elsewhere, brides
enamored with Diana's wedding look began requesting full skirts, frilly sleeves,
and defined bodices for their weddings.
Where is Princess Diana's wedding gown now?
Princes William and Harry own the mother's wedding gown — and after several
requests in the Emanuel's to show the historic town, the brothers have decided
to lend the famous dress to some Kensington Palace exhibition entitled Royal
Style In The Making. It's the first time the gown has been shown in public
places in over two-and-a-half decades. Following her death, Diana's brother Earl
Spencer stored the gown for safekeeping. Harry and William inherited the gown
and Diana's other possessions once they were both within their 30s.
The good reputation for royal wedding gowns
From Britain towards the rest of the world, royal people are known for their
spectacular celebrations and wedding dresses. In addition to Princess Diana's
legendary dress, Grace Kelly wore two dresses on her big day — one pink and
something white. Queen Elizabeth II's frock wasn't only embroidered, but
additionally embellished with seed pearls.