Sunday 27 May 2018

Royal Wedding Dresses: Meghan's evening look


If you can't have two wedding dresses when you're a royal bride then there's no hope for the rest of us. The Duchess of Sussex scored her second style hit of the day as she left Windsor Castle for her evening reception at Frogmore House in a full length gown by Stella McCartney.

Friday 25 May 2018

The Coat of Arms of the Duchess of Sussex

Meet the royal who brought sunshine to the family. The Duchess of Sussex has her own coat of arms, approved by the Queen, and it's filled with references to a life that now takes on a regal chapter.

Thursday 24 May 2018

Royal Wedding Guests: the Royal Family


You can't have a royal wedding without royal guests. Well, you can but it kind of takes the edge off it a bit. That was never going to be a worry at Harry and Meghan's marriage as the House of Windsor turned out in force to celebrate alongside them. And very jolly they all looked, too. As we soak up yet more wedding fever, here's a look at the royal guests at the wedding of the year.

Royal Wedding Flowers: the Duchess of Sussex


Meghan Markle made no secret of her love of flowers. While her lifestyle blog, The Tig, was up and running she often posted pictures of blooms and posies so the floral displays at this royal wedding were always going to be rather special. The bride let us know beforehand which flowers she wanted to include in her big day with London florist, Philippa Craddock, chosen to mastermind the displays. The result was blooming marvellous.

Wednesday 23 May 2018

Royal Wedding Tiaras: the Duchess of Sussex


A diamond debut for the newest duchess in town. Before her royal wedding everyone wanted to know whether Meghan Markle would wear a tiara and, if so, which one. And this royal bride with her own sense of style did what she does best and surprised us all. After months of talk about Strathmore Roses and Cartier Bandeaus, the Duchess of Sussex went art deco retro with a diamond diadem from the hidden depths of Queen Mary's collection.

Tuesday 22 May 2018

Royal Wedding Dresses: the Duchess of Sussex


The Duchess of Sussex went simple and classic for her royal wedding dress and scored a huge hit while she was at it. Meghan Markle walked away from the Windsor tradition of adding all kinds of embellishments to her actual gown and ended up with a magical modern style moment. There was plenty of symbolism on the veil she chose but her gown was all about bridal and turned into a stunning success.

Monday 21 May 2018

The Official Wedding Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex


The official royal wedding photos are here and they are gorgeous. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared three formal portraits, taken by Alexis Lubomirski, of their special day. And they are rather special themselves.

Sunday 20 May 2018

The Royal Wedding Bridal Party


In the end, Charlotte almost stole the show. The little princess was the star of the bridal party that accompanied Meghan Markle to St. George's Chapel, Windsor for the Royal Wedding on May 19th 2018. Charlotte, one of six bridesmaids and four pageboys, showed again what a natural she is at the whole royal wave thing . Let's take a look at this very sweet royal wedding bridal party....

Saturday 19 May 2018

The Royal Wedding: the Ceremony Album


The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have married in an intimate ceremony at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said 'I do' just after noon on Saturday May 19th 2018. Here are some of the best images of their very special wedding service.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex


Say hello to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married this afternoon at St. George's Chapel, Windsor and sealed their wedding with a kiss on the church steps as they emerged to sunshine and cheers as husband and wife.

Thursday 17 May 2018

The Windsor Wedding Rings: a band of Welsh gold


It's been a Windsor tradition from almost the moment that the ruling house came into existence but will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle follow it? For almost 100 years, every senior royal bride of the House of Windsor has worn a wedding ring made from Welsh gold. As speculation over every part of the Royal Wedding continues, here's a look at how Welsh gold came to be such a major part of Windsor marriages.

Wednesday 16 May 2018

Royal Wedding Album: Charles and Diana


It remains the most famous royal wedding of all. The ending may not have been the fairytale everyone hoped for on that July day in 1981 but the event itself was a modern royal event like no other. In the intervening 36 years we have had many other royal weddings but none has really come close to matching the moment when Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer were married at St Paul's Cathedral, London on July 29th 1981. Here are ten legendary images of Charles and Diana's marriage.

Tuesday 15 May 2018

The Brides Who Came Across the Sea to Marry into Windsor


After a frenzy of excitement about a possible royal engagement on Friday, it's back to the waiting game this weekend. Any upcoming royal nuptials are still top secret but that doesn't change the fact that just about all of us have decided Prince Harry is going to marry Meghan Markle. And if when he does, his bride will be joining a rather select club. For the House of Windsor has brought mostly homeborn brides into its ranks. Despite that, some of those saying 'I do' have travelled across seas to marry into Windsor and Meghan will (probably) be the latest with that claim. So as we keep on waiting (it really only heightens the excitement more), here's a look back at some of the brides from other lands who have wed a Windsor....

Monday 14 May 2018

Windsor Weddings: Diana's Dress



As we wait to find out what Meghan Markle will wear for the Royal Wedding of 2018, we're taking a look back at the gowns chosen by other Windsor women for their marriages. And today we arrive at perhaps the most famous and most poignant. It's the one worn by Diana, the mum that Harry said would be 'thick as thieves' with his bride to be, Meghan Markle.  The Emanuel design chosen by Lady Diana Spencer as she married the Prince of Wales on July 29th 1981 remains an icon of modern royal fashion. We know the bows, the frills and the creases like the backs of our own hands but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy them one more time. Diana's dream is the latest to feature in Windsor Wedding Dresses.


Saturday 12 May 2018

May's Royal Brides: Queen Letizia of Spain's Dress


King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain on their wedding day, May 22nd 2004
(photo casareal.es)

Letizia of Spain is a bit of a royal style icon and even before her marriage in May 2004 she was known for her sense of fashion. So there was huge anticipation about the wedding dress she would wear to the Almudena Cathedral to marry her prince. It left a lot of divided opinion.


Monday 7 May 2018

Royal Wedding Venues: Westminster Abbey


Westminster Abbey, London has been the location for some of the most famous royal marriages in history
(photo credit: vgm8583 via Flickr)



Westminster Abbey is probably the most famous royal wedding location around thanks to the marriage there in 2011 of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. But while Wills and Kate were walking in historic footsteps as they traipsed down the aisle as royal husband and wife, the links between regal marriage and the abbey are sporadic to say the least. There was a gap of five centuries between royal weddings at this famous church and it's reputation as a marriage venue for kings, queens, princes and princesses owes a lot to the House of Windsor.

Royal Weddings: 5 outfits for a civil marriage


Royal civil weddings, eh? Why on earth would anyone be thinking about those right now? Odd. But as we are, let's talk outfits. Several European royals have had a civil and religious wedding on the same day in which case there's no change for the bride. They can keep their big frocks to themselves right now. We're looking at outfits made purely for a civil marriage. Other brides have said 'I do' in front of a registrar in a different outfit from the one worn to the church for their religious wedding or blessing afterwards. Among them is Claire Lademacher whose civil wedding to Prince Felix of Luxembourg took place on September 17th 2013. In honour of that, and the possibility we might just be doing civil weddings in the UK again sometime soon, here's a look at five recent times we've seen royal brides dressed for a civil marriage.

Sunday 6 May 2018

Windsor Weddings: Princess Margaret's Dress


It's been called the height of simplicity and the epitome of sophistication. Vogue loved it while thousands have copied it. The wedding dress worn by Princess Margaret on May 6th 1960 as she wed Antony Armstrong-Jones is one of the most famous royal gowns of all. And you don't even need to look closely to find out why. As we wait for Meghan Markle to add her own sense of style to royal marriage history, here's a look at Princess Margaret's moment as a bride in Windsor Wedding Dresses....

Saturday 5 May 2018

5 royal brides who didn't wear tiaras


Will she, won't she? We're all kind of expecting Meghan Markle to wear a tiara for her royal wedding but there's still a chance she'll ditch the diamonads for something more unusual. She wouldn't be the first. Several have chosen to go sans sparkle for their big day, including some unexpected queens and one of the most famous royal brides ever. =Here are five famous royal consorts who didn't wear tiaras to their weddings.

Friday 4 May 2018

Royal Wedding Countdown: here comes the bride


In a very sweet moment of royal wedding preparation, we found out today that the mother of the bride, Doria Ragland, will have a very special role in the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. For while Meghan's dad, Thomas Markle, will walk her down the aisle, it's mum who will accompany her on the journey to Windsor that will begin her path to royalty.

Royal Wedding Countdown: the Myrtle of Sweden


Princess Sofia of Sweden's wedding bouquet was the latest to follow a royal tradition
(photo kungahuset.se)

We're all expecting Meghan Markle to include some myrtle in her wedding bouquet - it's a long standing tradition for British royal brides and they usually take a sprig from a plant belonging to Queen Victoria. But the House of Windsor isn't the only one that follows this rather romantic tradition. All Swedish royal brides wear myrtle in their hair or carry it in their bouquets on their wedding day. It's a sweet custom that not only makes the flowers a bit easier to sort, it provides a link to an ancestress whose influence shaped the modern family.

May's Royal Brides: Queen Letizia of Spain's Tiara


Queen Letizia of Spain in her 'something borrowed' tiara
(photo casa real)

When you're royal, something borrowed takes on a whole new meaning. Meghan Markle will no doubt be dipping into the tiara troves of Buckingham Palace for a piece of sparkle to set the tone on her bridal look. And she's just the latest in a long line of recent royal brides who have borrowed the bling for their big day. When TV presenter, Letizia Ortiz Rocosolano, married the then Prince Felipe of Spain on May 22nd 2004 she took a loan from her soon to be mother in law for her dose of diamonds. She couldn't have made a more symbolic choice because this tiara has serious royal wedding history.

Thursday 3 May 2018

May's Royal Brides: Princess Marie of Denmark


As royal wedding fever ramps up, all things regal and bridal just get lovelier. This week, we're looking back at some other May royal brides as we wait for Meghan Markle to join their club. We're rewinding ten years, to May 24th 2008, when Marie Cavallier married Prince Joachim of Denmark. it was relatively low key but that didn't mean a full on white frock and tiara were out of the question. When Joachim and Marie said 'I do' on May 24th 2008, we got a lace confection with diamonds and train. Here's a look back at the dress worn by Marie of Denmark on the day she became a princess.

Tuesday 1 May 2018

Royal Wedding Countdown: May's Royal Brides


May is about to get a new royal bride. Meghan Markle will marry Prince Harry this month at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. May's collection of royal brides already contains some of the most famous to say 'I do' in recent years and while Meghan will get plenty of attention on her big day, these women have also starred in celebrations that made headlines around the world. As Meghan makes the final preparations for her big day, here are eight royal brides who also got married in May....