The memory of Princess Diana is etched in people’s minds till date, and of the many instances one can think of which made Lady Di unforgettable, the sight of her in her stunning and huge taffeta wedding dress is surely one for the books. Designed by British fashion designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the stunning white dress worn by the late Princess for her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, made headlines not only for its breathtaking beauty but also because it flouted royal protocol on account of the large train, which continues to be the longest ever in royal history. And now, the historic ensemble will go on display for the first time in more than 25 years at Kensington Palace. It was last exhibited in London at Kensington Palace in 1995, when the Princess was still in residence.
The details of the exhibition elaborate that one can see the wedding dress of the late Princess of Wales “up close, complete with its spectacular sequin encrusted train, which at 25 feet dramatically filled the aisle of St Paul’s Cathedral, and remains the longest in royal history.”
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It goes on to add that the dress has been loaned by Lady Di’s sons Prince William (HRH The Duke of Cambridge) and Prince Harry (HRH Duke of Sussex), elaborating on how the dress is now among the most famous in bridal history and that it ‘features a fitted bodice overlaid at the centre both front and back with panels of antique Carrickmacross lace that had originally belonged to Queen Mary, the groom’s great-grandmother’.
The write up went on to elaborate other details of the gown, including, “Its gently scooped neckline and large puffed sleeves are trimmed with bows and deep ruffles of taffeta, a style popularized by the Princess in the early 1980s, while the full skirt is supported on a mountain of stiff net petticoats to create its famous silhouette”.
The exhibition, titled Royal Style in the Making will open on June 3, 2021 and go on till January 2, 2022. It will also feature “never-before-seen items from the archives of some of the most celebrated royal couturiers of the 20th century, set alongside examples of the glittering gowns and stylish tailoring created for three generations of royal women”, this will also feature the 1937 coronation gown of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, consort of King George VI.
