THERE IS NO FAIRYTALE quite like a royal wedding.
Hence, when Diana Spencer wed Prince Charles on July 29th, 1981, the entire nation stopped to take notice.
28.4 millionpeople tuned in on their televisions to watch the British heir wed his future Queen, and another 600,000 lined the streets of London to catch a glimpse of the new Princess. And while the entire occasion was steeped in grandeur, no single element was as gawked over, reported on or lauded as much as Diana’s wedding dress.
Regarded as the “most closely guarded secret in fashion history,“ no details of her now-iconic gown were revealed prior to that fateful day, meaning that her emergence from the royal carriage was even more alluring and a true, fairytale moment.
The most CLOSELY guarded SECRET in fashion HISTORY
Since then, the dress has gone on to be immortalised in capsules of royal and pop culture history. Arguably, it is one of the most iconic garments ever worn by a British royal (perhaps closely followed by the infamous revenge dress).
Below, BAZAAR answers all of your most burning questions about Princess Diana’s wedding dress.
Who designed Princess Diana’s wedding dress?
Princess Diana’s fairytale gown was designed by Welsh duo DavidandElizabeth Emanuel.
The couple’s head seamstress NinaMissetzis also worked tirelessly on the iconic number, as well as a handful of other in-house dressmakers.
Related: A collection of the most symbolic and sentimental outfits worn by the British royals
What was Princess Diana’s wedding dress made of?
The crinoline number was made from woven silk taffeta with a lace bodice, hand embroidered and decorated with over 10,000 pearls.
As is tradition, the fabric was sourced from British mills, with the antique lace being her ‘something old’. The gown also included a piece of lace that once belonged to Queen Mary.
The designers also stitched an 18-karat gold horseshoe — a symbol of good luck — into Diana’s petticoat and a blue bow into the interior waistband as her ‘something blue’.
Related: The best fairytale royal wedding gowns of all time
How much did Diana’s wedding dress cost?
At the time, Diana’s wedding dress cost an estimated £9000. This may sound modest for a royal bridal look, but when adjusted for inflation it would be worth approximately £28,000 — or upwards of AU$48,000 — today.
Of course, this neglects the cultural significance of the dress, which ultimately renders it priceless.
Why was Princess Diana’s wedding dress so creased?
One of the biggest pain points to emerge from Charles and Diana’s wedding was the slightly crumpled appearance of the bride’s gown.
When Diana emerged from the carriage the press and public alike were surprised at the immense amount of creases in her wedding dress.
Reportedly, the dress became creased because it was too large to fit into the coach that carried her to St. Pauls Cathedral and had to be folded over on itself for the journey.
Elizabeth Emanuel later told ITV, “We did know it would crease a bit but when I saw her arrive at St Paul’s and we saw the creasing I actually felt faint. I was horrified, really, because it was quite a lot of creasing. It was a lot more than we thought.”
Elizabeth has also told The Daily Mail that during dress rehearsals they hadn’t accounted for the room that the 25-foot train would take up in the carriage, nor the fact that her father would be riding along with her.
What tiara did Diana wear on her wedding day?
Typically, royal brides will select a headpiece from the family’s collection of heirloom jewels. But, in breaking tradition, Diana opted for a tiara from her own family personal collection instead.
The Spencer tiara was crafted from a number of precious family heirlooms into a singular piece by Garrard & Co in the 1930s.
Did Princess Diana have a second wedding dress?
Given that her gown would go down in history, it had to be an unveiling of epic proportions. Accordingly, a second dress was actually commissioned in case Diana’s primary dress was leaked or damaged.
The alternate gown was simpler, but made of the same ivory silk taffeta, as perHello!. It reportedly also included a deeper neckline, shorter sleeves, and a ball skirt.
The designers have both said that Diana didn’t even know about the backup dress — but it was for their peace of mind!
“We didn’t try it on Diana. We never even discussed it,” David told toPeople.
“Unless I am having a brain seizure, trying on a second dress was the last thing Diana would have done,” Elizabeth joked in an interview withCBS Newsin 2005. “She was so busy, we had to fit all our fittings around her schedule. There was absolutely no way she could have tried on that dress.”
Where is Diana’s wedding dress now?
Over 40 years after Diana walked down the aisle, her wedding dress is owned by her sons Prince William and Prince Harry.
In 2021, the Princes loaned the world-famous garment to Kensington Palace, so it could be displayed as a part of a royal fashion exhibit, Royal Style in the Making.
Prior to her sons inheriting her belongings in 2014, Princess Diana’s wedding dress was displayed at Althorp House, where she is buried.
Related: The most iconic British Royal Family portraits of all time
