If you still find yourself daydreaming about Meghan Markle’s picture-of-elegance wedding dress, you’ll soon be able to swoon over it IRL.
That’s because the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding outfits will go on display at Windsor Castle this October, before moving on to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, at the beginning of 2019.
The outfits will form part of an exhibition focused entirely on the wedding of the year.
The dress
Meghan’s dress was created by British designer Clare Waight Keller, artistic director at Givenchy. She chose the designer because of her “timeless and elegant aesthetic”. Both women worked closely together on the design.
The dress is made from an exclusive double-bonded silk cady, developed by Keller following research in fabric mills throughout Europe. 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 most notable features of the dress is the boat neckline bodice.
The veil
The five-metre-long veil is made from silk tulle and embroidered with the flora of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, a reference to 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 to the embroidered decoration: Wintersweet, which grows in the grounds of Kensington Palace in front of Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy which is the State flower of her place of birth, California.
Embroidered ears of wheat, symbolising love and charity, are symmetrically placed at the front of the veil, which is edged with embroidered organza flowers.
It took the team of embroiderers hundreds of hours to create the design. They had to wash their hands every 30 minutes to keep the tulle and threads pristine.
The tiara
Meghan’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 diamonds in a geometric design. The centre is set with a detachable brooch of ten brilliant diamonds.
Harry’s uniform
Prince Harry’s wedding outfit was the frockcoat uniform of the Household Cavalry (the ‘Blues and Royals’), specially commissioned for the occasion and made by tailors at Dege & Skinner on Savile Row.
The uniform’s single-breasted blue doeskin jacket has figured braiding 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 are fastened by a leather strap and buckle underneath the boot. The Duke has loaned an identical uniform to go on display.
‘A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ is part of a visit to Windsor Castle from 26 October 2018 to 6 January 2019 and part of a visit to the Palace of Holyroodhouse from 14 June to 6 October 2019.