The late Diana, Princess of Wales’s wedding dress is one of the most iconic in history.
When then-Lady Diana wed Prince Charles in July 1981, over 750 million people in 74 countries watched her walk down the aisle in awe.
Though the marriage ended in divorce, fans all over the world still admire her sensational wedding gown.
And over almost 25 years after her tragic passing in August 1997, it’s been announced that the late Princess of Wales’s gown is now being displayed publicly.
Fans of Diana, Princess of Wales can see it at Kensington Palace, as her sons Prince William and Prince Harry have loaned it to the Royal Style in the Making exhibition.
Here’s everything you need to know about Diana’s dress, including how to book to see it yourself.
Who designed Princess Diana’s wedding dress?
David and Elizabeth Emanuel created the Princess’s striking wedding dress.
David, a Welsh fashion designer, and his wife Elizabeth, an English designer, were married at the time they teamed up to create the gown.
The couple, now divorced, were chosen personally by Diana. She called their office herself, at a moment Elizabeth says the couple were busy and flustered at work.
Elizabeth told British Vogue: ‘I ran upstairs in annoyance and must have sounded a tad impatient before realising it was Diana. I was in shock!
‘My poor half-dressed client downstairs must have heard so much thumping as David and I celebrated the decision that ultimately changed our lives.’
Diana’s gown was made of ivory silk taffeta, as well as antique Carrickmacross lace which belonged to Charles’s great-grandmother, Queen Mary.
The veil was made of tulle, while the train ran 25-feet long, one of the longest in the history of Royal Weddings, and was adorned with sequins.
It filled the aisle of St Paul’s Cathedral, where the marriage ceremony was held.
Unsurprisingly, the iconic full skirt and imposing puffed sleeves began a trend for wedding dresses in the 1980s.
‘It was all about drama and making Diana a fairytale princess,’ Elizabeth added.
‘The gown was typical of early 80s style – overblown, romantic, flouncy – but we had to get it right because we knew it would go down in history.’
How much did Princess Diana’s wedding dress cost?
At the time of the Princess’s 1981 wedding, the gown cost £9,000 to make, numerous reports say.
Though, of course, it would be valued at a much higher figure today – given the historic significance of the dress.
The exact figure varies, depending on who you ask. Some say it was valued at £151,000 just after the wedding, and that it may be worth closer to £200,000 today.
Others, however, argue that the dress is priceless.
How to get tickets to see Princess Diana’s wedding dress
From June 3, 2021, to January 2, 2022, the Princess of Wales’s dress will be on display at Kensington Palace.
It’s the crown jewel in an exhibition called Royal Style in the Making, which also features a rare toile from a gown worn in 1937 by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother to the coronation of her husband, King George VI.
To see the exhibit for yourself, you’ll need to book your tickets and select a time slot online in advance.
Adult tickets cost £23 (without an added donation to the charity Historic Royal Palaces) while children aged five to 15 cost £11.50 each. Children under the age of five can accompany you for free.
As part of the ticket price, you’ll have access to all public areas of Kensington Palace, including the gardens.
You’ll walk a one-way system through an exhibit about Queen Victoria’s childhood and then the King and Queen State Apartments, before reaching Royal Style in the Making.
You won’t be able to access the private parts of the Palace, as that’s where The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge live with their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
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