Only 300 people were lucky enough to see Princess Kate’s second wedding dress at a private reception after the royal couple tied the knot.
Images of the Princess of Wales being walked down the aisle by her father were beamed to every corner of the globe on the couple’s big day 13 years ago. And many were in awe of the stunning hand-crafted dress designed specially by Sarah Burton of the Alexander McQueen fashion house. With no expense spared, the elegant French Chantilly and English Cluny lace cost a reported jaw-dropping £250,000.
However, the second gown was only seen by the select few. One royal expert said this dress was chosen by the Princess because she “truly wanted to express herself” with the British fashion giant being called on again to make it happen. At the time, the Palace said it decided to use Alexander McQueen “for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing.”
Just two years after the wedding, a video of the Duchess descending a staircase during the reception at Clarence House went viral on TikTok, showing the gorgeous A-line gown with its sweetheart neckline and sparkly waist embellishment.
She also donned a white fluffy cardigan which showed off her delicate waistline. More than 38,000 people liked the video shared by royal watching account, @allacortedi. Commenters praised the princess’s sartorial prowess, with one saying: “So beautiful. Our Queen.” Another added: “She looked SPECTACULAR in this!! 100X better than the first one! It complimented her amazingly athletic body.”
Miranda Holder explained how some royals like to change into a second wedding dress after the religious ceremony. This allows royal brides to leave behind “formalities” while offering an opportunity to “fully express” themselves.
