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Royal Weddings In History

  • 11 April 2011
  • Sharon Forrester

FROM Queen Victoria I to Grace Kelly's high society turn as the Princess of Monaco, royal weddings have always been a casue for national celebration.

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton chose Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen for her regal walk up the aisle, and our royal wedding photo album documents the changing wedding fashions through history.

While the Queen Mother married King George VI in 1923 in a simple wedding dress - in-keeping with an era in which Coco Chanel made unstructured styles de rigueur - designed by court dressmaker Madame Handley Seymour, 58 years later Diana Princess of Wales made headlines, and designer Elizabeth Emanuel a household name, by marrying Prince Charles in a wedding gown featuring an extravagant 25-foot-long train. 

Fast-forward 24 years and the trends change again, as Prince Charles' second bride, Camilla Parker Bowles (now the Duchess of Cornwall), chooses an elegant two-piece designed by Antonia Robinson and Anne Valentine, with statement headwear created by Philip Treacy.

For aristocratic grooms, military uniforms tended to rank highly. Although Prince William may decide to take sartorial inspiration for his big day from the adorable little outfit he wore to witness the Duke and Duchess of York tie the knot in 1986.