There's nothing we love more than the pomp, ceremony and style of a royal wedding, so we thought it would be fun to delve into the history books and gather some timeless bridal style inspiration from weddings gone by. If you're imagining enormous gowns with trains that run the whole length of the aisle, you might be surprised! Because for every poofy princess dress on this list, there's also a 70s-style boho creation or slinky, fitted number! Ready to swoon? Bring on the iconic royal brides!
1. Princess Caroline of Monaco chose this stunning sheer panel lace dress by Marc Bohan at Christian Dior for her 1978 wedding to Philippe Junot - we think it would look sensational on a bride today!
2. A whole 22 years earlier, Caroline's Mum, Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in this jaw-dropping Helen Rose gown, which was gifted to her by her Hollywood movie studio, MGM. The quintessential 50s silhouette was elevated with an antique Brussels lace bodice adorned with pearls.
3. Statement bows are a huge trend this year, but back in 2004, Mabel Wisse Smit wore a whopping 248 of them at her wedding to Dutch Prince Friso! In theory, this Victor & Rolf design is an OTT disaster, but we're actually quite partial to flattering shape and the pretty, 3D bows.
4. While the UK royal family might not appreciate bare shoulders, this clearly wasn't an issue for Lady Charlotte Wellesley, who married Alejandro Santo Domingo in Spain in 2016. With its oversized lapels, this Emilia Wickham gown is so chic and modern, but its full skirt and cathedral veil gave it serious princess vibes.
5. A boho royal bride? Yes, she does exist! Beatrice Barromeo married Pierre Casiraghi of Monaco (Caroline's son, Grace's grandson) in 2015, wearing a whopping six gowns over the course of two weekends - this gorgeous, dusky pink Valentino number was chosen for her civil ceremony.
6. Fans of sweet, retro style will love Marie-Chantal Miller's Valentino wedding gown, which she wore to wed Pavlos, the Crown Prince of Greece, back in 1995. Those little daisies on the mesh bodice are just too adorable!
7. Another effortless Monaco bride, Charlene Wittstock threw out the rulebook when she wed Prince Albert (son of Grace) in 2011, selecting this fitted and distinctly un-princessy Armani Privé gown for the occasion.
8. Not all royal wedding gowns are dripping in crystals and pearls! Mary Donaldson wore this elegant satin number by Danish designer Uffe Frank when she married Frederick, Crown Prince of Denmark, proving that drama doesn't always rely on sparkle.
9. How radiant does Sofia Hellqvist look in her Ida Sjösted gown? She wore this long-sleeved lace number in 2015 to wed Prince Carl Philip of Sweden.
10. Delicate lace is really hard to beat when it comes to royal wedding gowns, as proven by this extravagant, high-necked beauty by Jorge Vazquez, which Alessandra de Osma wore to marry Prince Christian of Hanover in March 2018.
11. These days, Letizia Ortiz is the Queen of Spain, but back in 2004, when she wed Prince Felipe VI, she was just a humble journalist (with great taste!). The structured open collar on her Manuel Pertegaz gown oozed sophistication and confidence, while the overall look was softened a little by that epic veil!
12. If you've seen The Crown, you'll be extremely familiar with the Norman Hartnell gown that the late Queen Elizabeth II wore at her 1947 wedding to Philip Mountbatten. Romantic and regal, it was embellished with white crystals and pearls, so it was a little fancier than most modern brides can aspire to, but we do love that 1940s silhouette!
13. Is it just us, or does Princess Anne-Marie of Greece look like an American prom queen in this look, which she wore to marry King Constantine II in 1964? Created by Danish designer Jørgen Bende, it boasted detailed edging and a pretty sheer overcoat, which will surely impress fans of ladylike style!
14. If you were alive and living on planet earth in 1981, you probably saw a thousand photos of Princess Diana's voluminous wedding gown, which was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. Most modern brides wouldn't risk wearing something so high maintenance, but if you're tempted, and you've got enough guests to help you manoeuvre the skirt, go for it!
15. It's not often that you see a wedding dress with a belt this blingin', but Rania al-Yassin was clearly happy to break a few rules when she married Prince Abdullah of Jordan in 1993. Her gown by British designer Bruce Oldfield was all about those gold embellishments, which also appeared on her custom hairpiece!
16. This one's a personal favourite! When King Edward abdicated the throne to marry divorcée Wallis Simpson in 1937, it was widely expected that she would steer clear of a traditional white wedding dress. Instead, she plumbed for a figure-hugging duck egg blue gown by Mainbocher, which we think would look absolutely divine even today!
17. The beautifully-draped long-sleeved Samantha Shaw dress that Sophie Rhys-Jones wore for her 1999 wedding to Prince Edward at St. George's Chapel brides, was a classic example of her of chic, understated style!
18. Let's face it, a literal crown is a tricky piece of jewellery to accessorise, but Princess Victoria of Sweden managed it in her 2010 wedding to Daniel Westling! Swedish designer Pär Engsheden made her off-shoulder gown, which included a five-metre train - we're not sure we could handle all that fabric, but the retro neckline is extremely cute!
19. Camilla Parker Bowles' heavily embroidered Robinson Valentine dress coat, which she wore to marry Prince Charles in 2005, can't compete with a fairytale white gown, but you can't say it's not opulent. For the record, we totally dig her gold feather Philip Treacy headpiece!
20. When Princess Anne wore this dramatic, Tudor-style gown to marry Mark Phillips in 1973, there were still four years to go until the first Star Wars movie, but we think we see a little Princess Leia in those vertical seams and fluted sleeves, which were created by Maureen Baker!
21. Another jaw-dropping gown that will be familiar to viewers of The Crown is this Norman Hartnell dress, which was worn by Princess Margaret in her 1960 wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones. The silk organza dress is one of the simplest ever to grace a royal wedding, but the silhouette, which echoed Christian Dior's groundbreaking New Look style, is straight-up sensational.
22. This is another St. George's Chapel wedding, this time in 1992 between Lady Helen Windsor and Timothy Taylor. Helen's Catherine Walker dress was definitively regal, and was said to be inspired by the architecture of the church itself!
23. Of course, we couldn't talk iconic royal brides without mentioning Kate Middleton's Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress, a classically romantic lace and satin gown that inspired thousands of copycats!
24. Princess Beatrice's wedding dress was actually lent to her by her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, and she put her own spin on it. Designed by Sir Norman Hartnell in 1961, Beatrice added a silk trim to lengthen it and soft chiffon cap sleeves, bring it right up to date.
25. Her sister Princess Eugenie's wedding dress in 2018 was a thoroughly contemporary gown, designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. The gown she wore to marry Jack Brooksbank featured intricate floral motifs, but it was the deep V-neckline and back, that made the biggest statement as it showcased the princesses scar from her scoliosis operation as a child as per her wishes.
26. Just a few months earlier in 2018, Meghan Markle's wedding dress captivated the world as she wed Prince Harry. Designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, the simple, boat-necked gown featured a sculpted silhouette and three-quarter sleeves. The delicate veil, adorned with flowers representing the Commonwealth countries, was a nod to the family she was marrying into.
27. One of the most recent royal wedding to catch our eye was that of of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Rajwa Al-Saif who married in 2023. The royal bride wore a custom ivory column style wedding dress by Lebanese designer Elie Saab, and in a move that shocked a lot of royal wedding watchers - she also wore flat bridal shoes making her look instantly iconic. She all the photos here!
Feeling inspired by these iconic royal brides? Get started on your own wedding dress search by visiting our recommended bridal boutiques and follow us on Instagram for more!
