The wedding outfits of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will go on display at Windsor Castle from 26 October to 6 January 2019, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh between 14 June and 6 October 2019, in a special exhibition A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Following the displays, Royal Collection Trust will make a donation to the Royal Foundation.
The Duchess of Sussex’s wedding dress was created by the British designer Clare Waight Keller for her timeless and elegant aesthetic, and for the impeccable tailoring of her creations. The Duchess and Ms Waight Keller worked closely together on the design.
The dress is made from an exclusive double-bonded silk cady, developed by Ms Waight Keller following extensive research in fabric mills throughout Europe. True to the heritage of the House of Givenchy, the graceful lines of the dress were achieved using six meticulously placed seams. These extend towards the back of the dress, where the train flows in soft round folds cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza. One of the main features of the dress is the boat neckline bodice.
The five-meter-long veil is made from silk tulle and embroidered with the flora of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, a reference to an important part of The Duke and Duchess’s official work following His Royal Highness’s appointment as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. The Duchess added two of her favourite flowers – Wintersweet, which grows in the grounds of Kensington Palace, and the California Poppy, the State flower of The Duchess’s birthplace. Embroidered ears of wheat, symbolising love and charity, are symmetrically placed at the front of the veil, which is edged with embroidered organza flowers.
The Duchess’s veil was held in place by a diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, lent to her by Her Majesty the Queen. On public display for the first time, the tiara is formed as a flexible band of eleven sections, pavé set with large and small brilliant diamonds in a geometric design. The centre is set with a detachable brooch of 10 brilliant diamonds, and the bandeau – made in 1932 for Her Majesty’s grandmother, Queen Mary – was specifically designed to accommodate the centre brooch. This brooch was given to the then Princess Mary in 1893 on her marriage to the future King George V. The bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed to Her Majesty by Queen Mary in 1953.
The Duke of Sussex’s wedding outfit was the frockcoat uniform of the Household Cavalry, specially commissioned for the occasion and made by tailors on Savile row. The uniform’s single-breasted blue doeskin jacket has figured braining of Regimental pattern on the stand-up collar and sleeves. It is ranked to Major, with large gold embroidered crowns on the epaulettes. The trousers, officially called ‘overalls’, are made from a blue and black wool barathea and fastened by a leather strap and buckle under the boot. The Duke has loaned an identical uniform to go on display.
Groups of 15 or more are required to pre-book their visit to Windsor Castle in order to guarantee entry. Please visit royalcollection.org.uk or call 0207 839 1377 for more information. Tickets for the Palace of Holyroodhouse will be available from 1 November 2018.
