With just under two weeks until the royal wedding, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive concerning what will be the most talked-about dress of the year: Meghan Markle’s bridal gown. Now, the Daily Mail is reporting that they know who that designer is – London-based Canadian couturiers Ralph & Russo - even sharing a mock-up of the gown on Instagram stories.
‘Multiple royal and fashion industry sources have revealed the actress has opted for British couturiers Ralph & Russo to make the first of two gowns she plans to wear on May 19,’ wrote the paper on Saturday.
On Friday, Kensington Palace released countless last-minute details about the wedding day – from the order of service to the role played by Markle’s parents – but there was no confirmation on the designer of the dress, so you might want to take this news with a pinch of salt. As with Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen gown in 2011, the designer has been kept a secret, in order to maximise the excitement on the day. It has been reported that even Prince Harry doesn’t know who has designed it.
That said, the Daily Mail is also reporting that the gown will be heavily beaded and embroidered, and cost £100,000 to make, with the royal family footing the bill. ‘It sounds a lot but this is the wedding of the year and hundreds of hours of manpower have gone into making it, almost all by hand,’ the source told the paper. The Duchess of Cambridge’s dress, in contrast, was £250,000, while Princess Diana’s ‘80s meringue style by the Emmanuels was a mere £9000.