The public are to be given the chance of a closer view of the Duchess of Sussex’s stunning wedding dress after a new royal exhibition was confirmed today.
The gown, designed by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller and lauded for its tasteful simplicity, will go on display at Windsor Castle this October.
The exhibition, which will run until January, will also feature her exquisite veil and a diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, lent to her by The Queen, which will be on public display for the first time.
The public are to be given the chance of a closer view of the Duchess of Sussex’s stunning wedding dress after a new royal exhibition at Windsor Caslte was confirmed. Pictured, Meghan in the stunning £20,000 Givenchy gown after exchanging vows with Prince Harry in May
The centrepiece of the display will be the £20,000 wedding gown, which will be shown on a mannequin (pictured). The exhibition will open at Windsor Castle in October
A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will then move to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will open in June next year.
The announcement by the Royal Collection Trust today puts an end to speculation surrounding the possibility of an exhibition on the royal wedding.
The centrepiece will be the £20,000 gown worn by the Duchess of Sussex, 37, as she tied the knot with Prince Harry on May 19.
The dress, which will be displayed on a mannequin, was made from an exclusive double-bonded silk, developed by Clare Waight Keller especially for the royal wedding, featuring what has become Meghan’s ‘signature’ boat neckline.
The Duchess of Sussex’s diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, lent to her by The Queen for the royal wedding (pictured), will be on public display for the first time in the exhibition
The tiara, pictured, made in 1932 for the Queen’s grandmother, Queen Mary, and bequeathed to the Queen in 1953. It held Meghan’s stunning veil in place on her wedding day
It will be accompanied by an identical uniform to that worn by Prince Harry, 33, loaned by the royal to the throne himself.
A highlight will be the bride’s 16ft-long veil, embroidered with the flowers of all 53 countries of the Commonwealth.
The delicate embroidery could not be properly appreciated on the TV broadcast of the wedding and so this will be a unique opportunity for royal fans.
The Duchess’s veil was held in place by the Queen’s tiara, which is set with large and small brilliant diamonds in a geometric design.
Royal fans will also have the opportunity to see Meghan’s intricate veil in person. Much of the detail of the 16ft-long creation was lost in the images from the Royal Wedding, above
The veil was hand-crafted and embroidered with the flowers of all 53 countries of the Commonwealth. Pictured, the veil as seen on a mannequin ahead of the exhibition
An example of the delicate floral border that was hand-stitched onto the fine veil
It was made in 1932 for the Queen’s grandmother, Queen Mary, and specifically designed to accommodate the centre brooch, which was given to her on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York, the future King George V, in 1893.
The bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed to the Queen by her grandmother in 1953.
Following the displays, Royal Collection Trust will make a donation to the Royal Foundation, the charitable organisation set up by William, Kate and Harry of which Meghan is now also a patron.
Caroline de Guitaut, of the Royal Collection Trust, said: ‘The displays at both Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse will allow visitors the unique opportunity to view the intricate detail in the wedding outfits of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
‘In particular, The Duchess’s veil features exquisite and delicate embroidery, which is best appreciated in a close proximity.’
A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which will also feature an exact copy of the suit worn by Prince Harry as a groom (pictured) will then move to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will open in June next year
Meghan’s something borrowed: Which tiara did she wear?
Meghan’s sparkling tiara is Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau, which has been loaned to her by Harry’s grandmother the Queen.
Royal brides are traditionally loaned priceless heirlooms to wear on their wedding day.
Meghan could have chosen the Spencer tiara – famously worn by Harry’s later mother Diana, Princess of Wales when she married the Prince of Wales in 1981.
But Meghan has instead selected this little known piece, which features a magnificent floral-shaped suspended brooch in the centre made of a large round diamond surrounded by nine smaller circular diamonds.
It was specifically made for the Queen’s grandmother Queen Mary in 1932 to accommodate the detachable brooch, which was given to Mary as a wedding present in 1893 by the County of Lincoln.
The bandeau is a flexible band of 11 intricate glittering sections, pierced with interlaced ovals and pave set with large and small brilliant diamonds.
The bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed by Queen Mary to her granddaughter the Queen on her death in 1953.
Meghan Markle wore a diamond tiara belonging to the Queen’s grandmother Queen Mary (LEFT). The stunning piece was designer for Queen Mary (right) in 1932 and features a diamond brooch she received as a wedding present in 1893
The bandeau, chosen from Her Majesty’s collection, is formed as a flexible band of eleven sections, pierced with interlaced ovals and pavÈ set with large and small brilliant diamonds
Meghan’s sparkling tiara is Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau, which has been loaned to her by Harry’s grandmother the Queen