Meghan Markle's wedding dress was the subject of feverish speculation before it finally emerged on that fateful day in 2018. During the fourth episode of Netflix's Harry & Meghan, Markle said exactly what she wanted on her big day. ‘A mimosa, a croissant and to play the song Going to the Chapel. That’s what I did. And it was great.'
You probably also think you already know all there is to know about the dress. But the show also offered new insights from Clare Waight Keller – credited as ‘stylist and fashion designer’, then artistic director of Givenchy – who was granted the honour and responsibility of creating the now-iconic wedding dress. Boat-necked and bracelet-sleeved, it couldn't have looked more elegant as she glided down the steps of St George's Chapel, Windsor.
‘It was just literally like you’re in the biggest football stadium. This massive, massive roar,’ remembers Waight Keller, speaking about the crowds on the day. She explains some of the thought that went into the design, which was radical in its simplicity. ‘Looking at the design of the dress, there were many conversations we had over how you want to present yourself to the world. Most of us have a wedding with, you know, 70 to 200 people. This was billions of people watching this wedding. It has to be flawless, it has to be perfect’.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress is still one our favourite celebrity wedding dresses of all time. Here, we take a look back at every spectacular detail, from the secret meaning behind its embroidery to the veil and the second dress.
Who Designed Meghan Markle's Wedding Dress?
Speculation about who would design the royal wedding dress reached fever pitch in the months leading up to the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, with Roland Mouret, a friend of Markle's, Ralph & Russo and Victoria Beckham all tipped as possible contenders. But in the end, the honour went to Waight Keller, then-artistic director at French fashion house Givenchy. While the choice of house was initially seen as quite a surprise to fashion insiders – Givenchy is, after all, a famous luxury label in Paris not London – Waight Keller herself is from Birmingham. It's also no accident that Markle chose the first ever female creative director of Givenchy.
The wedding gown itself was pure white and beautifully simple in style, with an elegant bateau-neckline that framed the shoulders, three-quarter-length sleeves and a train that was, according to a statement released by Kensington Palace, 'cushioned by an underskirt in triple-silk organza'.
Markle later revealed in an interview with HBO, as part of a documentary about the Queen, that a scrap of blue fabric from a dress that she wore on her first date was sewn somewhere into the skirt as her something blue.
Waight Keller has since spoken about that career-defining moment. Posting on Instagram, she said: 'Two years ago today I was in the final fittings for a very secret dress. So many emotions were running through me during those months leading up to the big day. A wedding dress is one of the most exquisite and beautiful moments for a designer, but also personally as a woman artist, creator there is a lot of sensitivity that flows through the process from the knowledge and understanding of the feelings that you have as a bride.'
And when the couple's wedding outfits went on display at Windsor Castle, Markle provided some audio commentary (and fascinating insight) to listeners. 'So I knew at the onset I wanted a bateau neckline, I wanted a cropped sleeve, I wanted a very timeless, classic feeling and, obviously with respect to the environment we were in and St George’s Chapel, being really modest in what it would look like, I knew that the tailoring was so key, because the dress itself would be so covered up.'
What's The Story Behind Meghan Markle's Veil?
Markle's 5m silk-tulle veil, which trailed beautifully down the steps of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, was probably the most special part of her entire wedding day outfit, and took a team of embroiderers many hundreds of hours to create. Speaking to HBO, she admitted that she had planned a surprise for her future husband all along. 'It was important for me, especially now being a part of the royal family, to have all 53 of the Commonwealth countries incorporated and I knew it would be a fun surprise for my now-husband, who didn't know. He was really over the moon to find out that I would make this choice for our day together, and I think other members of the family had a similar reaction.'
Markle added two of her favourite flowers to the embroidery, according to the Royal Collection Trust: Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), which grows in the grounds of Kensington Palace in front of Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the State flower of California.
What Jewellery Did Meghan Markle Wear On Her Wedding Day?
The Queen, as is tradition, lent one of her most beautiful tiaras for the occasion, a diamond and platinum bandeau tiara formed of eleven sections and centred around a detachable brooch of ten brilliant diamonds. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the bandeau was made in 1932 by the Queen's grandmother, Queen Mary, and specifically designed to frame the central brooch, a present that was given to Princess Mary, as she was then, in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to the future King George V. Queen Mary then bequeathed both the bandeau and the brooch to her granddaughter, the Queen, in 1953.
Who Designed The Bridesmaids Dresses?
Markle's six bridesmaids - Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton's daughter, Zalie Warren, Florence van Cutsem, Ivy Mulroney, Ryan Litt and Remi Litt - wore puff-sleeved designs by the bride's wedding dress designer Clare Waight Keller. The white leather ballet pumps were one of Markle's favourite footwear designers, Aquazzura, and were embroidered with each of their initials and the date of the wedding.
Who Designed Meghan Markle's Second Wedding Dress?
Markle's evening dress was by luxury sustainable designer, Stella McCartney. 'I am so proud and honored to have been chosen by the Duchess of Sussex to make her evening gown and represent British design. It has truly been one of the most humbling moments of my career and I am so proud of all the team on this stunning sunny royal day,' McCartney said about the dress, which struck a beautiful contrast to the dress she wore for the ceremony. Made with silk crepe-de-chine in lily white, the sleeveless gown featured a high neck and seamlessly draped to a scooped back, while layers of fabric allowed its base to ripple and unfurl as she walked to the car.