Why Princess Kate's iconic wedding dress was such a big gamble (2024)

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Why Princess Kate's iconic wedding dress was such a big gamble? ›

Princess Kate also had to take into consideration the major financial investment the gown would be for her parents Carole and Michael, who footed the bill. The Middletons reportedly invested a whopping £250,000 on the elegant lace dress – so it makes sense that Kate wanted to pay tribute to her family with her outfit.

Did Kate Middleton pay for her wedding dress? Catherine's parents Michael and Carole Middleton paid for the incredible dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The dress was designed to look like a flower in bloom making the bride look like she was gliding down the aisle as opposed to walking.

In the clip, Queen Elizabeth turns to Kate and says the illusion of the floating dress and crown was “Horrid, isn't it?” Kate is quick to quip back, “Without my face there?” Elizabeth then responds, “Horrible…

The number of months the dress went on display at Buckingham Palace in the summer of 2011, following the royal wedding. Kate's dress went on display at Buckingham Palace for four months later that summer, after the world was swept up in the romance of the royal wedding.

Princess Kate also had to take into consideration the major financial investment the gown would be for her parents Carole and Michael, who footed the bill. The Middletons reportedly invested a whopping £250,000 on the elegant lace dress – so it makes sense that Kate wanted to pay tribute to her family with her outfit.

Meghan Markle's wedding dress back was just as simple as the front and was covered by her 25-foot lace-lined veil. Meghan Markle's wedding dress was estimated to cost about $265,000, which the bride paid for herself.

After the wedding, 300 guests were invited to a private reception and party at Buckingham Palace, presided over by Prince Charles. As is traditional for royal brides, Kate changed into a second dress sticking with the same designer Sarah Burton, who is the Creative Director of Alexander McQueen.

The most notable fact about the duch*ess' wedding makeup is that she did it herself. But Kate did not totally do it alone. Reportedly, she worked with Bobbi Brown makeup artist Hannah Martin ahead of the royal wedding. Hannah spoke to Express.co.uk about how brides can prepare for their big days, similarly to Kate.

The dress, veil and tiara were exhibited by the Royal Collection Trust at Windsor Castle from October 2018 until February 2019, and then at Holyrood Palace from June 2019 to October 2019.

According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding gown is $2,000. While, of course, off-the-rack gowns may be priced lower, more luxurious gowns can sometimes fall in the $3,000 to $8,000 range. Customized dresses can even cost as much as $10,000.

What was Serena Williams wedding dress so expensive? ›

Serena Williams

The tennis great opted for a regal ball gown with a cape designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, which cost upwards of AU$5 million (US$3.5 million).

Queen Elizabeth paid for her wedding dress, per the royal family's website, with clothing ration coupons. It cost a reported $42,000 at the time, the equivalent of about $1.6 million today.

Speaking to Royal Round-Up's host Pandora Forsyth, Mr Palmer said: "When it comes to Camilla and Kate, Charles pays for a lot of their clothing allowance from the Duchy of Cornwall.

While Kate inherited $110 million in jewelry from the Queen, that collection did not include the Spencer tiara, a diamond-encrusted crown inherited by William's late mother, Princess Diana, in the mid-1970s. Diana wore the tiara in her wedding to King Charles—then Prince Charles—in 1981.

But some traditions do not come to an end so easily. The news that Kate's parents would contribute a 'substantial' amount to the cost of holding the wedding was reported around the world as Kate's 'six-figure dowry'.

The wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and paid tribute to the United Kingdom through its lace embroidery. It later broke royal records when it was displayed at Buckingham Palace.