Here are all the things you did not know about the Queen’s wedding attire
The last-minute Royal Bride
The Queen, unlike several of today’s brides, only got to try on her wedding dress on her wedding day. The Royal family believed that wearing the wedding dress before the wedding was bad luck, and so Queen Elizabeth could not have a fitting prior to the main day. On her wedding day, some of her maids and two other Princesses helped her with her gown.
Took more than 300 workmen
The Queen’s exquisite gown had a lot of delicate embroideries, especially in lace, which required extensive handiwork. More than 300 people worked on the gown, which was conceptualized by the Royal court dressmaker.
Queens… they are just like us
Did you know Queen Elizabeth paid for her wedding gown with coupons? The Queen married just after the big war when Britain’s economy was in a dire condition. Buying a fancy, flamboyant wedding ensemble was out of question, even for the Queen. So, the British government provided the queen with clothing coupons, and she used about 200 of them to pay for her dress.
Took a long time to make
The ivory lace wedding gown, which is still an inspiration to British brides in the country took six long months to make. In fact, the workers and designers were not allowed to talk to each other as they were working on the dress, in order to save time. They were also asked not to talk about the dress to public.
The beads and pearls
The expensive beads on the gown, which had to be deep-set were from Britain itself, but the pearls were imported from America and the silk for the gown arrived from China. The star and the flower motifs which are present on the Queen’s dress are still a popular choice for many modern English women.
The veil
The Queen opted for a tulle veil, which was an unusual choice for a Royal wedding, and quite refreshingly modern.
The inspiration
Did you know the design of the Queen’s wedding dress was inspired by a painting by the celebrated Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli? The dress was inspired by Botticelli’s famous painting Primavera, which is unanimously recognized as a symbol of growth, prosperity and rebirth. Elizabeth got married at a time when England was struggling financially and politically, and the Queen’s dress held a lot of sentimental value to the British people.
The material
The material of the gown was the most exquisite silk ever, and in fact, the silk is now so rare that it is not found anymore. The silk on the train is not same as the silk on the gown, as the gown’s material as much richer and luxuriant.
The silk marred
The silk began to dampen after fifty years or so, and had to be refurbished. The weight of the pearls and beads on the gown was also taking a toll on the gown, the material of which was sagging. The gown had also been on display for quite some time, and that didn’t help.
The train
The train of the Queen’s wedding gown had a symbolic significance. It is thought to represent Britain’s success as a nation and thus had to be very heavily embellished. The train was 15 feet long and very ornate. The lace and pearls made a stunning combo, and the stars were like badges of honour on the Queen’s gown.
The tiara
The diamond tiara which the Queen wore her wedding is one of the most beautiful tiaras, the Royal family has ever seen. A tiara is a big deal in the monarchy, and even the Queen’s successor, like Kate Middleton and Camilla, are pretty big on tiaras. The Queen was gifted the tiara by her grandmother Queen Mary, which was gifted to her by none other than Queen Victoria on her wedding.
The bouquet
Did you know, that in a shocking turn of events the Royal bouquet which the Queen was supposed to carry to the altar went missing? The bouquet was an exquisite collection of orchids and went missing during the Royal photo session. A week after the wedding, the florist was asked to make an identical bouquet, so that the Queen and her husband can be photographed again.
The tiara broke?
The taira which the Queen got from her grandmum broke in two pieces on her wedding day. A jeweler had to be called in to fix the jewellery, but in some photos, the gap between the tiara is still visible.
The lucky charm
The Shamrock is a very lucky Irish plant, as it is thought to be a bearer of good luck. The Queen’s dressmaker had sewn an extra, unnoticeable shamrock in the inner folds of the Queen’s gown, as a sign of luck.
The copy…
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