He’s one half of the design duo behind Princess Diana’s iconic ’80s wedding gown.
And now David Emanuel, 64, has had his say on the dress her youngest son’s bride might choose should Prince Harry pop the question to his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle.
After the couple enjoyed a romantic getaway in Harry’s beloved Africa to celebrate his girlfriend’s 36th birthday last month, royal-watchers are waiting with baited breath for an engagement announcement.
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, designer David predicted that Meghan, 36, would choose a modern, ‘Jessica Rabbit’-esque fishtail dress to highlight her ‘curvy’ figure should she marry her royal beau.
Meghan Markle, 36, is the current girlfriend of Prince Harry, 32, and is known for starring in US drama Suits
Friends and royal aides believe an engagement announcement is imminent, with one former royal chef predicting it could be as early as December this year
Rather than opt for a full-skirted, fairytale creation like that worn by Diana and gasped over by millions watching around the world, David suggests the American actress would choose something ‘contemporary’.
After watching Meghan on the TV show Suits, the designer believes the brunette would prefer something that accentuates her frame.
‘It’s the million dollar question,’ he said.
‘I see her onscreen in that American show Suits and they put her in figure-hugging shirts and slim things. She looks great. She’s very polished, she’s very curvy.’
David added that, should Harry and Meghan get engaged as royal watchers are feverishly predicting, their wedding venue would also influence her choice of gown.
‘You have to research it and get the wedding gown that suits her.
‘It would depend on where they’d do it,’ he said.
‘If it’s a grand wedding or a private wedding in a registry office. All those things you have to take in consideration.’
He added: ‘She’d be great to dress. It’d be very contemporary. Polished chic.’
David Emanuel designed Princess Diana’s death with his then wife Elizabeth (pictured left in 2010)
Close friends and former royal staff believe Meghan and Harry are close to announcing their engagement, with royal chef Darren McGrady predicting the news will come in December.
The dress the Emanuels designed for Diana is one of the most iconic wedding gowns in history – over 700 million people watched her marry Prince Charles in the fairytale number.
David and his then wife Elizabeth were both in their late 20s and fresh out of fashion school when they were asked to design the dress that would make both their careers.
David says modern brides are returning to the romantic style that Diana preferred, but fishtail gowns like the one he envisions Meghan wearing remain popular.
‘They’re either going for a Jessica Rabbit dress – a figure-hugging dress – or going back to the one Diana wore with a big petticoat. It depends where the occasion is,’ he said.
David predicted that Meghan’s wedding dress will be form-fitting, similar to the costumes she wears in Suits (pictured)
‘You can do a boho look very easily with fresh flowers in the hair. You could also have a very chic smart suit and a nice hat for a registry office.’
After working with Diana, David remained a close confidante of the princess during her marriage.
David says he looks back on their time together with both ‘joy and emotion’, and admitted he took offense at the countless documentaries that were aired in the lead up to the 20th anniversary of her death on August 31.
He said: ‘They only dwell on the negatives, I was kind of upset about that. You have to remember, after she divorced, she went even harder with all of her charity work.
David says Diana’s fairy-tale style has come back into fashion, while modern brides are also picking fishtail designs
‘I think we should remember her for that, not as that downtrodden woman. She worked bloody hard and she didn’t have to. Let’s remember the good bits.’
He added: ‘Diana will never, ever go away, she made such an impact on the world that I think [the Princes] are quite surprised at how much world interest there’s been.’
David is about to star in the new season of Say Yes to The Dress, which will see him help brides choose their perfect wedding gown in affordable shops.
The new series will see the designer style brides with dresses from Oxfam’s bridal shops, with gowns costing as little as £100.
The designer believes Meghan will choose something contemporary and suitable for where the couple might choose to be married
When it comes to budgeting, David believes brides must be open minded because a cheap dress will allow scope for extra spending on alterations.
He said: ‘You have to be comfortable in what you choose – it’s a long day. Don’t choose a skin-tight gown in if you like dancing.
‘Buying off the peg at those prices, even if it doesn’t fit exactly, you can afford, if the dress is £100, you can afford then to get it fitted beautifully.’
The Emanuels were not long out of fashion school when they were chosen to design Diana’s wedding dress
He also believes that brides should be picky about who accompanies them while dress shopping, pointing out that not everyone will have the best input.
David said the most important bit of advice he could offer a bride was to stick within her budget – no matter the temptation of an expensive dress.
He said: ‘I’m very careful, I don’t want to suggest a gown that’s over the budget. If she falls in love with it then we’ll have tears.
‘If I chose a dress for a girl that is right on the end of her budget and she says ”Oh I want that dress too, it’s wonderful.” I say ”I’m not giving you that dress. Although it’ll look great on you it’s over budget.””
Say Yes to The Dress, starts Friday September, 8 at 9pm on TLC.