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11 Fascinating Facts About Princess Diana’s Iconic Wedding Dress That You May Not Know

Her shoes had a very special meaning

Almost 40 years ago, the 1981 royal wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana brought the world to a standstill. And while their matrimony was the talk-of-the-town, so was Diana’s iconic wedding gown that stole the show.

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Designed by husband and wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuelthe intricate ivory taffeta gown become the must-have for brides-to-be all around the globe. And with its elaborate embroidery and show-stopping train, the ornate nature of the garment is still unmatched.

Aside from its face value, there was a myriad of work that went into the gown behind-the-scenes that many may not know about. 

And as we patiently await the latest instalment of The Crown—and its take on the royal wedding itself—there’s no better time to take a trip down memory lane.

Below, we’ve rounded up 11 of the most fascinating facts about Princess Diana’s wedding gown that you may or may not know.

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The lace on her dress dated back to Queen Mary

A special square of Carrickmacross lace was sewn into her dress, and while its exact origins are unknown, the fabric dated all the way back to Queen Mary and was her ‘something old’ for the big day.

Princess Diana dress
(Credit: Getty Images)

There was a tiny horseshoe charm hidden on the inside of the dress

Despite it not being visible to the eye, dressmakers David and Elizabeth Emanuel attached an 18-carat gold trinket studded with white diamonds to the label of the dress. And apparently, another token spent some time on the dress as Elizabeth apparently left a safety pin on the dress and didn’t remember until the day after.

Princess Diana
(Credit: Getty Images)
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There was also a small blue bow sewn into the dress

Chosen as her ‘something blue’, Diana had a tiny blue bow sewn into the waistband of her dress. But that wasn’t the only tradition she followed. Along with the antique lace and blue bow, her ‘something new’ was fabric made especially for Diana from a British silk farm and the Spencer family tiara was her ‘something borrowed’.

The veil of the dress was significantly longer than the train

According to the married duo who designed Princess Diana’s wedding dress, Diana insisted that the train be made longer. Considering the impressive length of the train, this was no mean feat. With the train measuring in at 7.6 metres in length, the veil was made from 139 metre of tulle—the longest in royal history—and was held in place by her tiara.

Princess Diana dress
(Credit: Getty Images)
Princess Diana
(Credit: Getty Images)
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It was adorned with 10,000 mother of pearl sequins and pearl embellishments

The intricate ivory taffeta gown featured elaborate embroidery and consisted of 10,000 pearls and pearl embellishments, making sure that no one could ever come close to replicating the stunning bridal look.

Princess Diana
(Credit: Getty Images)

Princess Diana was sewn into the dress on the day

Leading up to the bid day, Princess Diana shed five inches from her waistline. The design team ended up making five different bodices for her wedding dress to accommodate her changing figure. And on the day, they sewed her into the final version to ensure a perfect fit.

Princess Diana dress
(Credit: Getty Images)
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The dress contained a small perfume stain which she tried to hide

Revealed by her makeup artist Barbara Daly in Diana: The PortraitPrincess Diana actually spilled some perfume—Quelques Fleurs—down her dress while getting ready and tucked in the front in the hopes that no one would notice. She was instructed to pinch the stained fabric so it looked like she was holding up her dress to walk.
Princess Diana
(Credit: Getty Images)

There was a back-up dress made that has mysteriously disappeared

While Elizabeth Emanuel is adamant that they never made a duplicate version of the dress, she has admitted that they made an alternative version in case the original design was leaked to the press ahead of the wedding. Said back-up dress sported a much deeper neckline and didn’t come with any of the lace detailing. In a strange turn of events, the garment vanished from the studio and was never seen again.

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Princess Diana back-up dress
(Credit: Getty Images)

The original wedding dress cost upwards of $198,000 to make

Princess Diana
(Credit: Getty Images)

And her matching shoes included hers and Charles’ initials

While the shoes were hardly visible beneath the hem of her gown, Princess Diana’s silk slippers included 542 sequins and 132 pearls assembled in a heart-shaped design. The soles of the shoes were hand-painted and included the initials C and D on the arch, with the heels remaining quite low.

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Princess Diana Wedding Shoes
(Credit: Getty Images)

She also had a matching umbrella in case the weather turned

Designer Elizabeth Emanuel purchased two antique silk parasols and covered them with white and ivory fabric to prevent others knowing which one matched her dress. The umbrellas were hand-embroidered with pearls and sequins and trimmed with the same lave so that the umbrella coordinated with the gown. But thankfully, the wedding day remained dry and the umbrellas were of no use. 

“It was made of such light material that it certainly wasn’t waterproof,” she told Daily Mail. “It wouldn’t have done her much good!”

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