Royal weddings always have a certain charm we don’t seem to be able to resist. Maybe it’s the grandiose venue, maybe it’s the prince’s uniform but, most likely, it’s the princess’ ravishing bridal gown! So let’s dive into a journey through time to have a close look at the royal wedding gowns that make us dream with our eyes open.

Harry And Meghan

She’s 36, she’s an American actress and she’s the first biracial woman to enter the English royal family. Meghan’s wedding with Prince Harry is a real-life fairy tale. It makes you almost feel like you could meet and fall in love with a prince yourself.

The royal couple first met on a blind date organised by a mutual friend in 2016. They didn’t know much about each other, but around 4 weeks later they were already leaving for a five days trip to Botswana, where they camped under the stars and got the chance to know each other on a deeper level. Someone said it was a rushed move on Harry’s part to invite her on a lone trip just after a few dates, but when he was asked when he understood that she was the one, he replied resolutely: “On the very first day I met her.”

Harry and Meghan’s is a story about romance and true love. They tied the knot at Windsor Castle on May 19th, breaking a long tradition of weddings at Westminster Abbey. Of course, all eyes where on Meghan Markle, who was wearing a Givenchy dress with a five-metre veil designed by Clare Waight Keller. It is a silk boat-necked gown gracefully framing the shoulders and highlighting the slender sculpted waist.

The first sketches of this breathtaking bridal gown were drafted just after their engagement in November 2017. The fabric is a pure white colour double-bonded silk cady patiently researched all throughout Europe by the designer. But the part that took the longest to complete (500 hours!) was the long, billowing veil covered in flowers with silk threads and organza on a flat surface. The veil also represented the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country united in a floral composition. The clean lines of the dress extend towards the back where the train flows in soft round folds cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza. The slim three-quarter sleeves “add a note of refined modernity.”

Clean, modern and exclusive. Megan’s bridal dress was a perfect bond of tradition and unconventionality, but she couldn’t escape the most rooted tradition of the British royal family: flesh-coloured tights. In the end, it’s a small price to pay to marry a prince, isn’t it?

William And Kate

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s story is very different under many aspects. First, Kate comes from an aristocrat English family and she was educated in the same exclusive boarding schools as her husband. Second, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. The couple had known each other for years before they started dating. Last, the long engagement period and the wedding hew more closely to tradition than her sister-in-law’s.

In line with tradition, Prince William and Middleton were married at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Kate’s bridal gown was designed by Sarah Burton, director of the luxury fashion house Alexander McQueen. Made of ivory satin, the bodice was inspired by the Victorian tradition of corsetry. French chantilly lace and English Cluny lace were the fabrics of the decorations all through the skirt and underskirt. Padded at the hips, the gown, in ivory and white satin gazar, was designed to emulate an opening flower: it flowed out to the floor. The back of the dress was finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by rouleau loops.

Charles and Diana

The legendary figure of Lady Diana has probably outshined all future successors. Her social commitment and philanthropy gained a general sympathy and love unprecedented in the history of the English royal family. Lady Diana has become one of the most iconic characters of the 20th century.

Her nuptials with prince Charles were celebrated in July 1981 at St. Paul’s cathedral. They had met just a few months before the wedding, while Charles was dating Diana’s older sister. However, their marriage was not the merriest. Charles was said to be still in love with his former girlfriend and Diana suffered from depression and bulimia during her marital life. They gradually grew apart and eventually divorced in 1996. Her strong personality and deeply-rooted ideals were probably clashing with the royal duties and restrictions. As a matter of fact, she was the first royal to omit the world “obey” from her wedding vows.

But let’s talk about the most interesting part: Princess Diana’s wedding dress. Designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel for Alexander McQueen, this precious bridal gown was covered in 10,000 pearls and complete with a 25-foot train, the longest in royal history. The wedding gown was so voluminous that Diana had trouble fitting into the carriage.

It was not only a bridal dress, but also a collection of historic relics. The handmade Carrickmacross lace had belonged to Queen Mary. The intricate ivory taffeta gown from Stephen Walkers of Suffolk was paired with a 153-yard veil, an 18th-century era heirloom tiara, and silk shoes embroidered with 542 sequins and 132 matching pearls. Finally, an 18-karat gold horseshoe was stitched into the petticoats as a sign of good fortune.

Princess Diana’s impeccable wedding dress set wedding fashion trends for years. Nowadays, it is still considered a “gold standard” by most bridal designers.

The Royal Wedding Frenzy

The whole world is pervaded by the royal wedding fever even after the dazzling ceremony between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is by now a beautiful memory.

People from the four corners of the world are talking, reading and fussing about it and thousands of women have been trying to guess what the spouse would wear on this solemn day. The internet and the press have been invaded by a swarm of articles about Meghan’s wedding dress, about her past, about her family and even about her sex life.

Why do people care so much? What is all this fuss about? Where does this insatiable level of curiosity come from? It can’t be mere nosiness. We all know how much human beings love gossip, but there must be something deeper, a more profound motivation triggering this obsessive interest on royal matters.

In our humble opinion, the crucial reason behind our thirst for royal weddings is the human predisposition to dream. Marriages between kings and queens, princes and princesses can only be found in storybooks. They are the bedtime stories we heard since we were children that have never left our imagination. Who doesn’t dream to wed a prince in a beautiful bridal gown with a long white trail carried by smiling bridesmaids?

We don’t want to hear about Meghan’s past and private life. Let us dream of true love and stunning wedding gowns, don’t wake us up at the best part!