Wedding dress fit for a queen

In a fluttering sea of red, white and blue, it was only ever the white that mattered.

Kate Middleton ended months of speculation by opting for a romantic corseted gown fit for a queen rather than the fussy, princess-like styles popular among her predecessors.

The 29-year-old bride left the Goring Hotel in London’s Belgravia in an ivory and white design by Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen. Royal protocol demands arms are covered and the neckline is demure. Onlookers watching the 1.5-mile journey to Westminster Abbey caught only brief glimpses of the beautiful long-sleeved lace bodice with sweetheart neckline. The splendour of the 9ft train and A-line white satin gazar skirt was seen as she emerged from the Roll-Royce with father Michael. It was accessorised with a veil and The Queen’s diamond Cartier ‘halo’ tiara. She carried a bouquet of myrtle, lily of the valley, sweet William and hyacinth flowers. The train was carried by her chief maid of honour, sister Pippa, who also wore an ivory dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. Kate Burton, who has also designed dresses for US First Lady Michelle Obama, designed a £10,000 silk strapless gown for Sara Buys, who wed Prince William’s step-brother Tom Parker Bowles in 2005. The bridegroom, meanwhile, was resplendent in red, wearing the scarlet tunic of an Irish Guards officer rather than his blue RAF uniform. Best man Prince Harry wore his uniform of captain in the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals. The bride’s mother, Carole Middleton, wore a powder blue wool crepe coatdress by Catherine Walker and hat by Berkshire-based Jane Corbett. The Queen wore an Angela Kelly primrose dress and coat adorned with Queen Mary’s True Lovers Knot diamond brooch, with an Angela Kelly hat. The congregation was a rainbow of coloured fascinators and suits. Prince Harry’s on-off girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, wore an Alberta Ferretti aqua green satin top and modest beige fascinator, while bride-to-be Zara Phillips, in a luxe silver coat, had an oversized black hat. The Duchess of Cornwall wore a duck egg blue and hand-embroidered champagne coat by Anna Valentine, hat by Philip Treacy and Jimmy Choo shoes. Glasgow’s wedding gift will help vulnerable youngsters By Caroline Wilson Glasgow’s wedding gift to Kate and William will help troubled young people build a brighter future. The city’s Lord Provost Bob Winter was with other invited VIPs at Westminster Abbey today as the couple exchange vows. Guests were asked to make a donation to one of a list of charities chosen by the royal couple instead of offering wedding gifts. And the city’s gift to the happy couple is a donation of £2500 to the Venture Trust, an inspirational Scottish scheme which runs personal development programmes for young people battling problems including homelessness and drug and alcohol misuse. The organisation runs projects all over the UK, including Glasgow. Kathryn Ball, of the Venture Trust said: “The Royal Wedding Charity fund will be used to support the vulnerable people we work with. View our Royal Wedding slideshow - here “Every donation is hugely appreciated and we are very grateful to be involved in the fund.” Mr Winter said he was “thrilled” to be given an invitation and would be extending an invite to the couple to visit Glasgow. The Provost was not wearing his gold chain of office at the wedding ceremony. A council official must travel with the valuable civic symbol every time it leaves the safe and, as there is no seat at the service for the guardian of the chain, it has remained in Glasgow.

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