Meghan Markle’s £100,000 wedding dress that the Queen thought was ‘too white’ – as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrate sixth anniversary
The 2018 royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was watched by almost 30million people on television around the world.
The anticipation in the days leading up to the iconic nuptials six years ago today was high and rumours were rife regarding who Meghan would wear down the aisle at St George’s Chapel.
In the end, Meghan chose to work with French fashion house Givenchy and Clare Waight Keller, their first first female artistic director.
The Duchess praised the designer’s elegant aesthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanour.
The understated dress was floor-length and featured long sleeves with a bateau neckline, reflective of Meghan’s own classic personal style.
Costing £100,000, it perfectly embodied her ‘effortless American style,’ said Waight Keller, who described the finished dress as ‘not overly feminine, but not really minimal either.’
The late Queen Elizabeth II allegedly believed the the dress was ‘too white’ for a divorcee to wear in a church. Royal commentator Ingrid Seward said in her recent book My Mother and I: ‘In the monarch’s view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal.’
The 2018 royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was watched by almost 30million people on television around the world. Meghan wore a Claire White, the first female artistic director of fashion house Givenchy
Meghan’s bateau neckline was inspired by the royal’s affinity for Audrey Hepburn, the off-the-shoulder neckline was a nod to the iconic Givenchy dress in the 1957 movie Funny Face
Inspired by the royal’s affinity for Audrey Hepburn, the off-the-shoulder neckline was a nod to the iconic Givenchy dress in the 1957 movie Funny Face, together with the demure aesthetic of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s wedding gown in 1996.
Epitomising a timeless minimal elegance, the gown referenced the codes of the iconic House of Givenchy, showcasing the expert craftsmanship of its world-renowned Parisian couture atelier which was founded in 1952.
True to the heritage of the house, the pure lines of the dress were achieved using six meticulously placed seams, focusing on the graphic open bateau neckline that gracefully frames the shoulders and emphasises the slender sculpted waist.
Meghan added a personal touch, stitching a piece of blue gingham fabric from the dress she wore on their first date in the hem.
The creation of the royal look took 3,900 hours and involved a team of 50 people. Meghan had eight dress fittings over the course of four months.
Waight Keller crafted double-bonded silk cady material in a pure-white hue that gave the dress that modern matte appearance.
‘We wanted to create a timeless piece that would emphasise the iconic codes of Givenchy throughout its history, as well as convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts,’ she said.
‘In contrast, the delicate floral beauty of the veil was a vision Meghan and I shared, a special gesture embracing the commonwealth flora, ascending the circumference of the silk tulle.’
Audrey Hepburn with an almost identical neckline wearing a Givenchy dress in the film Funny Face 1957 directed by Stanley Donen
Meghan also wanted the demure aesthetic of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s wedding gown in 1996. Above: Carole Bessette-Kennedy seen on the cover of Gold Collector Series Magazine on the day she married John F. Kennedy Jr
Sketches of the Duchess’s dress were released on Kensington Palace’s Twitter
The cathedral-length, five-metre-long veil was trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries
Meghan added a personal touch, stitching a piece of blue gingham fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Harry in the hem
Clare Waight Keller at the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards in 2018
Meghan’s veil was held in place by the Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, which was originally made in 1932 and lent to Meghan by the late Queen Elizabeth
A pregnant Duchess of Sussex presented British Designer of the Year to Clare for Givenchy during the fashion Awards in October 2018
Waight Keller crafted double-bonded silk cady material in a pure-white hue that gave the dress that modern matte appearance
The cathedral-length, five-metre-long veil was trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries.
The dressmakers involved had to regularly wash their hands to avoid discolouring the material.
The veil was held in place by Queen Mary’s beautiful diamond bandeau tiara, which was originally made in 1932 and lent to Meghan by the late Queen.
Complementing the simplicity of her gown, Meghan wore a pair of Givenchy heels which we caught a glimpse of when she stepped out of St George’s Chapel.
Based on a Givenchy refined pointed couture design, they were crafted from silk duchess satin and in the same shade of white as her dress.
The ceremony itself was remembered for its break with tradition. Harry and Meghan chose American bishop Reverend Michael Curry to deliver a rousing sermon which captivated audiences around the world.
Meghan’s father Thomas Markle pulled out at the last minute after it emerged he had staged paparazzi photos of himself.
Instead, King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, walked Meghan down the aisle.
And although a deep rift now separates the Sussexes from the Prince and Princess of Wales, on that special day all of Harry’s family were present.
Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince George and Princess Charlotte all had front-and-centre placing. Charlotte, then aged just three, was a bridesmaid.
Harry and William, now so far apart, looked closer than ever as they walked into St George’s Chapel, before the older Windsor fulfilled his duties as his brother’s best man.
The day marked the moment that the royals accepted an American actress into the fold – and the dress was the talk of millions.
