Royal Weddings

In 1947, Queen Elizabeth II's wedding to Prince Philip reached worldwide audiences through radio and subsequent newsreels in movie theaters. Elizabeth had a 13-foot elaborately embroidered veil of ivory silk net. The wedding ensemble and eight bridesmaid dresses were designed by Norman Hartnell, a British designer.

Grace Kelly's wedding to Prince Ranier of Monaco in 1956 was the first royal wedding to be televised to over 30 million viewers in the United States. Her wedding ensemble, designed by Helen Rose, included a circular veil so that her face could be seen during the wedding ceremony.

Princess Diana’s dress (1981) designed by British duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel, fully ushered in the elaborate wedding gowns and veils of the 1980s – voluminous, dramatic, and exaggerated. Her 153-yard tulle veil with blusher accentuated Diana’s countenance, demure quality, and beauty.

Kate Middleton (married to Prince William) wore a silk tulle fingertip-length veil adorned by her grandmother-in-law’s Cartier Halo tiara, in a stunning ensemble designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. The floral motif of the rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock embroidered on the veil’s border represented the four countries of the UK (McDermott, 2023). 

Meghan Markle (married to Prince Harry) continued this theme of honoring the UK by incorporating the 53 countries of the British Commonwealth into her 16.5-foot-long silk tulle veil. As an actor, Meghan likely knew how to accentuate her poses and gestures when she alighted the steps of the cathedral. Her ensemble, designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, combined French-inspired simplicity (reminiscent of the neckline of the Givenchy wedding dress in Funny Face) and an elaborately embroidered veil (Storey, 2021).