It was last November 2017 when an announcement was made by the royal family, that Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle are engaged and are to be married in May 2018. The public immediately started comparing Meghan to Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, and his sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge.
The prince actually gave Meghan a ring made the Cleave and Company, that consists of two small diamonds from his own mother’s collection and a large diamond that he bought. This is in comparison to the ring that Prince William actually gave to Kate, which is the exact sapphire engagement ring that his mother was given to by his father.
However, the ring wasn’t the only thing that was being compared to between the two, but also the wedding dresses they have worn. Since at that time, they were officially becoming members of the royal family, people expect nothing less but the best, especially when it comes to their dresses.
The Royal Wedding Dresses Comparisons
In 2011, Sarah Burton of the Alexander McQueen luxury fashion house was the one who designed the dress of Kate Middleton for her wedding with Prince William at the Westminster Abbey.
According to reports, Kate wanted her wedding gown to scream tradition and that the same time modernity. The people who made the gown were actually told that the dress was supposed to be worn as a costume in a drama series, just to keep it a secret. The dress was said to the made of both silk and lace.
Meghan’s dress, on the other hand, is designed by Waight Keller of the fashion house, Givenchy, since she wanted to represent and highlight a leading British talent because Keller is the first woman who became Givenchy’s artistic director. Meghan said that she wanted her dress to scream elegance and relaxed. The dress was so to have been made in five months and it took them eight dress fittings.
There have always been speculations as to who will be the one to design the dresses of the royals, but it has always been remained secret, until the wedding itself. The Duchess of Sussex wore a wedding dress that was actually made of silk, which has an open boat off-shouldered neckline, and unlike Kate, it doesn’t have any lace on it. Keller said that she did not even tell her own family that she was the one designing a dress for a future royal and that it will now be written in history.
When asked how she approached the look that Meghan wanted, she simply said that she focused on modern elegance. That is because she said that she wanted to represent her and at the same time, she wanted Meghan to feel incredibly comfortable.
It is then inevitable that it doesn’t get compared to Princess Diana’s wedding dress back in 1981. The classic puffed sleeved-dress is one of the most famous wedding dresses in the world and is now considered to be one of the most guarded secrets in fashion history.
The dress was made of ivory silk as well as an antique lace designed by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel. Even up to this date, the said designer still receives requests to make the same dress that was made for the late Princess.
Windsor Castle Display
The Duchess of Cambridge’s original dress was actually at the Buckingham Palace display for 3 months for the summer exhibition back in 2011, just a few months after their wedding. The exhibit did not just include the gown itself, but also the earrings, shoes, and even the tiara was present. They even did a replica of the same are flowers and cake that was part of the wedding.
Sketches of The Duchess of Sussex’s #RoyalWedding dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller, have been released.
The Duchess and Ms. Waight Keller worked closely together on the design, epitomising a timeless minimal elegance referencing the codes of the iconic House of Givenchy. pic.twitter.com/A9ZFKVZmUz
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 20, 2018
Just a few days ago, it is rumored that Meghan’s gown will also be out on public display at the Windsor Castle. The Givenchy gown may be the centerpiece for the display but it has not been confirmed by anyone yet.
According to sources it may actually be announced before the year ends. The media are still waiting for the officials of the Royal Collection Trust, who are the ones responsible for holding a display at the thousand-year-old castle, to release an official statement regarding the said rumor.