BBC - History - Elizabeth II's wedding (pictures, video, facts & news) Elizabeth II's wedding Elizabeth II's wedding 20 November 1947 Princess Elizabeth's wedding to Philip Mountbatten took place at Westminster Abbey and was broadcast to 200 million radio listeners around the world. After the ceremony, the pair waved to large crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Photo: Princess Elizabeth leaves Westminster Abbey in London, with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, after their wedding ceremony, 20 November 1947. (Press Association) Introduction Highlights from the Queen's wedding to the Duke of Edinburgh. Includes Pathe footage. Highlights from the Queen's wedding to the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, London. Includes Pathe footage. This event features in: More information about: Elizabeth II's wedding How they met Princess Elizabeth, born 21 April 1926, was the first child of Albert, Duke of York, and his wife, formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The abdication of her uncle, Edward VIII, in December 1936 meant her father became king and she became heir. Elizabeth was educated at home.

In 1940, she and her sister Margaret were evacuated to Windsor Castle to escape the Blitz. Their parents remained at London's Buckingham Palace - a promise made to the nation at the start of World War II. Philip Mountbatten was born 10 June 1921 on the Greek island of Corfu, the youngest child and only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg. His early years were spent in France, but he came to England in 1928. He attended Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, after which he joined the Royal Navy and saw active service in WWII. Elizabeth and Philip were distant cousins, and first met at a wedding in 1934. After meeting again in 1939, they began to exchange letters. The pair became secretly engaged in 1946, but the formal engagement was delayed until Elizabeth turned 21 in April 1947. The wedding day Elizabeth and Philip were married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, in front of 2,000 invited guests. The ceremony was broadcast on radio, to 200 million listeners worldwide.

The wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell - a duchesse satin bridal gown with motifs of star lilies and orange blossoms. Princess Elizabeth had to use ration coupons to obtain the material. More than 2,500 wedding presents arrived from around the world, and 10,000 telegrams of congratulations. The couple went to Buckingham Palace after the ceremony where they waved from the balcony to large crowds. They spent their wedding night in Broadlands, Hampshire, the home of Philip's uncle, Earl Mountbatten. The rest of their honeymoon was spent at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate. Life after the wedding The couple's first child, Prince Charles, was born in 1948 and Princess Anne arrived in 1950. In February 1952, King George VI died and Elizabeth, his daughter, immediately became Queen. In June 1953, her coronation was held at Westminster Abbey, televised by the BBC to a worldwide audience of millions. Prince Andrew was born in 1960, and four years later came Prince Edward. For decades, the Queen has been performing public duties including ceremonies, receptions and visits.

She has also supported numerous charities, and encouraged public and voluntary service. Weekly audiences with prime ministers have been held throughout her reign. The Duke of Edinburgh abandoned his Royal Navy ambitions in order to take on more public duties and support the Queen. In 1956 he launched the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Prince Philip has earned a reputation for speaking his mind, which has sometimes landed him in trouble. Prince William said in 2004 that his grandfather "will tell me something I don't want to hear and doesn't care if I get upset about it. He knows it is the right thing to say". In 2007 the Queen became the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding anniversary. 1000+ images about The wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on Pinterest | Princess elizabeth, Queen elizabeth and Prince philip Royal Wedding, 20 Nov 1947. A fairytale Princess for whom Norman Hartnell designed this gorgeous dress, a duchesse satin bridal gown with motifs of star lilies and orange blossoms.

See More The Queen's 1947 royal wedding recreated for Netflix The Queen's 1947 wedding recreated for Netflix show August 20, 2015 by hellomagazine.com When the Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – and Prince Philip married in November 1947, thousands of well-wishers lined Westminster Abbey in London to catch the first glimpse of the newlyweds When the Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – and Prince Philip married in November 1947 , thousands of well-wishers lined Westminster Abbey in London to catch the first glimpse of the newlyweds. In the streets of Ely, Cambridgeshire earlier this week, a similar scene was re-enacted. Hundreds of passers-by watched as filming for The Crown, a new show airing on Netflix next year, brought the city to a standstill. Actress Claire Foy, who plays the Queen, was spotted wearing the royal's replica white satin wedding gown , which featured a flowing train and a matching veil. She completed her bridal look with a glittering tiara and a double strand of pearls.

Actress Claire Foy plays the Queen in a new show coming to Netflix The actress was filmed stepping out of a gold horse-drawn carriage and entering Ely Cathedral, which was used as a stand-in for Westminster Abbey. She was joined by her co-stars – her eight bridesmaids and two page boys – and former Doctor Who actor Matt Smith, who plays her husband Prince Philip. The Queen, who was 21 at the time, had eight bridesmaids including her sister Princess Margaret No expense was spared in the filming for the new 10-part series, which follows the life of the Queen from her wedding to the present day. From a replica Irish State Coach to pretend 1940s newspaper photographers, every detail was arranged to make the occasion look as authentic as possible. Netflix is said to be staking £100million on the new show, but in real fact, the Queen married during a time of high austerity. Her nuptials took place just two years after WWII had finished when rationing was still in place.

The Queen, who married two years after the end of the war, saved up ration coupons for her wedding dress Ahead of the wedding, Elizabeth, who was 21 at the time, saved up ration coupons to pay for the material for her Norman Hartnell gown and excited women from around the country sent the Princess extra coupons. However, she graciously returned them and, like other brides, was allowed an extra 200 by the government. Her sister Princess Margaret and her cousins Princess Alexandra of Kent and Lady Mary Cambridge acted as bridesmaids, while royals from Spain, Norway, Greece, Denmark and the Netherlands attended the ceremony. Hundreds of well-wishers waited outside Westminster Abbey in the hope of seeing the newlyweds, while thousands more lined the Mall and Buckingham Palace. The ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio to 200 million people around the world. The Queen and Prince Philip made their first appearance as newlyweds from Buckingham Palace The Crown will feature 60 episodes over six series. It will focus on the inside story of Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street and the tagline reads, "Two houses, two courts, one Crown".

Protagonists Claire and Matt will play the Queen and Prince Philip for the first two series, after which producers will decide if they want to cast older actors or use make-up and prosthetics to play the royals in their later years. Nostalgia: Queen Elizabeth II's Style Evolution - Vogue Vogue Nostalgia: Queen Elizabeth II’s Style Evolution June 1, 2012 10:55 am Vogue may earn compensation on these sales through affiliate programs.

See more photos of: Princess Elizabeth with Prince Philip, 1947 Photo: Central Press/Getty Images Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day, 1947 Photo: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images See more photos of: Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation day, 1953 Photo: Monty Fresco/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II with Marilyn Monroe, 1956 Photo: Keystone/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II in France, 1957 Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II meeting Frank Sinatra, 1984 Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II in Ireland, 2011 Photo: Pool/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II entering Westminster Abbey for Prince William's wedding to Catherine Middleton, 2011 Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images See more photos of: The first time Cecil Beaton photographed Queen Elizabeth II, she was a teenage princess in wartime. She had soft, little-girl curls and wore a pastel-pink taffeta dress that a long-forgotten dressmaker made with “lover’s knots in blue, and cream pearls,” according to the picture caption.

At sixteen, she and her younger sister, Margaret Rose, were still dressed identically, just as they had been since the cradle, in matching kilts, bonnets, and coats with velvet collars. Princess Elizabeth leaned against a table in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace with a painting of a baby Prince Leopold of the Belgians behind her; the set designer in Beaton was always present in his work. Inspired by Gainsborough and Winterhalter, Beaton’s was a portrait of both innocence and grandeur. In another picture on the same shoot, she wore her Grenadier Guard uniform. At fifteen she had become their Colonel. She looks like a child, but already there is a certainty that belies her slender frame and youth. The Palace was firmly aware of the importance of the image projected. This fresh, sweet future monarch was pictured just six years after the shocking abdication of her uncle Edward. The clothes were key to this positive, confidence-inspiring vision. Here, they were slightly austere. Three years later, in a shot released after the end of the war, the Princess wore a romantic gown, a butterfly-spangled crinoline by Norman Hartnell that belonged to her mother.

This was a peacetime return to fairy-tale fantasy. Hartnell had devised the crinoline shape for her mother, the Queen, who wore it to great acclaim on tour in Paris in 1938, as part of her “white wardrobe”; Christian Dior later claimed it was one of his inspirations for the New Look. At the time, it was the brittle Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, and the beautiful Princess Marina of Kent who were the leading Royal fashion plates. Wallis Simpson might have called the then Queen “cookie” and said she looked like a “grocer’s daughter,” but George VI had briefed Hartnell that he wanted his wife to be a counterpoint to Wallis: light, soft froth to her dark, hard angles. The royal family’s job, the King felt, was to be regal and reassuring rather than sharp and fashionable. It was a message their eldest child would pick up fifteen years later when she became Queen—and now, 60 years later, as she celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, she has remained as luminous and yet as gentle as she was then.

We will never know if character or position propelled the young Elizabeth toward more modest necklines, in contrast to her sister Margaret’s décolleté, starlet style. But although she could certainly do glamour—it was universally agreed that she outshone Marilyn Monroe at a film premiere in 1956, in a black velvet off-the-shoulder Hartnell gown—she never looked less than regal. The Queen has spent her whole life dressing for public consumption. Just as with the jewels, the dresses and the regalia had to be in keeping with her position, so they also had to be sensitive to time and place. They had to be practical, but also diplomatic. Never has a wardrobe had to work so hard. In the forties, the influence of her mother, who favored diaphanous pastels and floaty dresses, is still evident. Elizabeth and Margaret were young women in their mother’s shadow. Through that decade, the carefree future Queen wore dresses with padded shoulders and nipped in waists—the Forties silhouette. After the war, she was often dressed by Hartnell, who made so much clothing for her mother.

Hartnell was a publican’s son who had begun designing opera costumes while he was a student at Cambridge. Like Beaton, he had a theatrical streak that saw him through two of the most important commissions of the twentieth century: the wedding dress of 1947, and the Queen’s coronation gown. Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress was a communal effort, in a sense, with fabric bought by the public’s clothing coupons. But the star was the embroidery. The dress and its train were encrusted with thousands of seed pearls and crystal beads in garlands of lilies and white York roses. But it was the coronation gown that was the apotheosis of Hartnell’s career. The Queen wanted the same silhouette as her wedding dress, but with emblems of the United Kingdom and all her dominions included. “I thought of the sky, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and everything heavenly that might be embroidered on a dress destined to be historic,” wrote Hartnell in his autobiography.

It also had to be a dress that wasn’t totally eclipsed by the fact its wearer was sporting a crown, an orb, and a scepter; and it must outshine an abbey full of peeresses and other royals. Here was the ultimate statement dress. A young, slight English rose was transformed into a monarch. Royalty have always understood the power of fashion. On a macro level, the wardrobe, like the jewels, spoke of history, status, wealth, and reach. But it was this Queen who introduced the idea of dressing as diplomacy. It has often been said that the Queen dresses for the practicalities of her role: Her hems are weighed down so they don’t blow up; her skirts must be long enough for dignity sitting on a podium or descending airplane steps; her fabrics mustn’t crease; her colors must stand out in a crowd; and her hats must show her face. And yet, the messages that accompany the outfits are much more interesting than that, and particularly so on state visits. On these occasions, there is an international relations mission to be accomplished. And here the wardrobe plays a vital part. After the coronation, there was a shift from pastels to brights.

Her first global tour as Queen was a lesson in the power of color and an antidote to the gloom of the Cold War. So began the habit of a lifetime: the radiant wardrobe. The Queen dressed for the world—she was an astutely political dresser. Her outfits said: We respect your culture, your heritage, your terrain; we are flattered to be here; we make an effort to show we have thought about what that means. Hartnell embroidered French flowers and Napoleonic bees for France; maple leaves on green satin for Canada; bugle beads into lotus flowers for India. Hardy Amies’s dresses were lighter, his silhouette narrower, but no less loaded with significance. In 1983, the Queen met Frank Sinatra in California, in an Amies gown embroidered with California poppies. And just last year, a century of ice dissolved when she wore a dress described by the local press as “shamrock green” to Ireland.

Today, the majority of the clothes are made by a Liverpudlian docker’s daughter named Angela Kelly, who carries the title of “personal assistant and senior dresser.” She is described by the Palace is a “no-nonsense” figure and is known for her resourcefulness: a “Snow Queen” silver dress worn in Slovenia in 2008 was made from of fabric from the Middle East that had been lying around the palace for more than 20 years. (They called it “credit-crunch couture.”) London couturier Stewart Parvin received a visit from Kelly in 2000, not that he knew who she was. “She told me she had a client, in her 60s, in the public eye, that she must be elegant, classic, and very Jackie O, and that the designs must be completely unique to her.” Soon he found himself suggesting fabrics and conducting fittings at Buckingham Palace. He says she has incredible posture and is fortunate in that she can wear any color.

“She is exacting,” he adds, “in a way that you can only be if you have a keen interest and enjoyment in dressing.” Today, Kelly and her team make all the clothes in the Queen’s private apartments at Buckingham Palace, including the primose-yellow dress and coat the Queen wore to Prince William’s wedding and, for this upcoming week, most of the Jubilee wardrobe, including any hats that are not made by the current milliner, Rachel Trevor-Morgan. From touching pastel taffeta to the forthcoming Jubilee magnificence, never has one woman illustrated the power of fashion for so long. See the slideshow above for some of her most memorable looks. Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding | L'Atelier Blanc Contact Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding This year the Queen celebrates 60 years on the throne. To celebrate her Diamond Jubilee we take a closer look at her wedding – from that fabulous gown to the impressive cake and even their wedding favours… The Queen is the first British monarch to have celebrated a diamond wedding anniversary! The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married in Westminster Abbey on 20 November, 1947 at 1130GMT.

There were over 2,000 guests at the royal occasion, including King and Queen of Denmark, the King and Queen of Yugoslavia, the Kings of Norway, Romania and the Shah of Iran. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh first met at a wedding! They were both in attendance at another royal wedding – Philip’s cousin, Princess Marina of Greece to The Duke of Kent, who was an uncle of the then Princess Elizabeth, in 1934. She was 13 and he was 18. The engagement between Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN was announced on the 9 July 1947, although they had become secretly engaged one year earlier in 1946. They kept it secret for a year because Elizabeth’s family opposed her marrying at such a young age. Philip reportedly proposed to his bride-to-be during a walk around the grounds of Balmoral – so romantic! The Queen’s platinum and diamond engagement ring was made by the jewellers Philip Antrobus, using diamonds from a tiara belonging to Philip’s mother. And her wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David’s mine, near Dolgellau.

Philip had two stag parties the night before the wedding – the first at the Dorchester (pictured) to which the press were invited and the second with his closest friends at the Belfry Club. The Queen’s wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell, who had submitted designs for the dress in August 1947. Elizabeth famously saved up her ration cards to purchase the material needed for her wedding gown. The fabric for the dress was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle. The gown was decorated with more than 10,000 white pearls imported from America, silver thread and tulle embroidery. It also included a 15-foot patterned full court train attached at the shoulders and ivory duchess sating high heels, also embellished with silver and pearls. The Queen’s bridal veil was made of tulle and held by a tiara of diamonds. This tiara was made for Queen Mary in 1919.

It was made from re-used diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and Co and a wedding present for Queen Mary in 1893. The bride’s wedding bouquet was supplied by the Worshipful Company of Gardeners and arranged by the florist MH Longman. It had white orchids with a sprig of myrtle from the bush grown from the original myrtle in Queen Victoria’s wedding bouquet. An identical copy of the bouquet was made and presented to The Queen on her Golden Wedding in 1997. After the wedding, the dress was exhibited at St James’s Palace and was then shown in the capital towns of the British Isles and in Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, Preston, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield. The grave of the Unknown Warrior was the only stone that was not covered by the special carpet in the Abbey. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth followed a Royal tradition started by her mother, of sending her wedding bouquet back to the Abbey to be laid on this grave. A tradition which Kate Middleton continued when she married Prince William.

At her wedding, the Queen had eight bridesmaids – HRH The Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambart, The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten, The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone, The Hon. Diana Bowes-Lyon and two pages – HRH Prince William of Gloucester and HRH Prince Michael of Kent, both aged just five. The bridesmaids wore wreaths in their hair of miniature white sheaves, Lilies and London Pride, modelled in white satin and silver lame. They were made by Jac Ltd of London. The pages wore Royal Stewart tartan kilts. The bridesmaids’ bouquets, prepared by Moyses Stevens, were of white orchids, lilies of the valley, gardenias, white bouvardia, white roses and white nerine. The two Royal kneelers, used during the service, were covered in rose pink silk. They were made from orange boxes, due to war time austerity, and date stamped 1946.

And the altar was hung with the white dorsal given in 1911 by King George V and Queen Mary for their coronation and the 1937 coronation frontal given by the Princess’ parents. Thousands of people lined the processional route on the royal wedding day and were able to file through the Abbey after the service. Millions listened to the live radio broadcast and the film of the wedding was watched by thousands at cinemas across the country. Over 10,000 telegrams of congratulations were sent to Buckingham Palace to congratulate the royal couple. The couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from well-wishers around the world. Most of the gifts were put on display for a few days in a charity exhibition at St James’s Palace, which was attended by over 200,000 visitors. The “wedding breakfast” was held after the marriage ceremony at Westminster Abbey in the Ball Supper-room at Buckingham Palace. The menu was Filet de Sole Mountbatten, Perdreau en Casserole (a braised partridge dish) and Bombe Glacee Princess Elizabeth. The flowers decorating the tables were pink and white carnations, donated by the British Carnation Society.

And individual posies of myrtle and white Balmoral heather were placed at each place setting as favours. The official wedding cake was made by McVities and Price, although eleven other cakes were given as presents. With post-war food rationing still in place, ingredients were sent as wedding presents from overseas. The official cake was made using ingredients given as a wedding gift by Australian Girl Guides. Pieces of cake and food parcels were later distributed to schoolchildren and institutions. The cake was nine feet high in four tiers, with painted panels of the armorial bearings of both families, and included the monograms of bride and groom. The cake was cut using the Duke’s Mountbatten sword, which was a wedding present from the King. The bride and bridegroom left the Palace showered with rose petals. For the Princess’ going-away outfit, Hartnell designed an ensemble of a dress and matching coat in mist-blue with mushroom-coloured accessories. The couple departed from Waterloo station with the Princess’s corgi, Susan, for their honeymoon. The newlyweds spent their wedding night at Broadlands in Hampshire, home of Prince Philip’s uncle Earl Mountbatten.

The second part of the honeymoon was spent at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate. Add new comment Fitted for a Queen: royal gowns go on display to mark the Queen's 90th birthday | London Evening Standard Fitted for a Queen: royal gowns go on display to mark the Queen's 90th birthday The wedding dress and her coronation dress were designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell Friday 27 May 2016 09:46 BST Click to follow The Evening Standard The Coronation gown ITV/Rex The Queen’s wedding and coronation dresses are to go on display together for the first time to mark her 90th birthday. The wedding dress, which was worn by the then Princess Elizabeth for her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh on November 20, 1947, and her coronation dress, worn in 1953, were designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell. They will go on show at the summer opening of the state rooms at Buckingham Palace between July 23 and October 2, as part of the special exhibition Fashioning A Reign: 90 Years Of Style From The Queen’s Wardrobe.

The exhibition, which charts important events in the Queen’s life and explores the nation’s history through her, covers state occasions, international tours and family celebrations. The wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Philip Duke of Edinburgh (Rex) The Queen’s support of British couture and millinery will be highlighted through outfits created by renowned designers including Sir Norman, Sir Edwin Hardy Amies and Ian Thomas. When commissioned to design Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress, Sir Norman set out to produce “the most beautiful dress I had so far made”. Queen Elizabeth II after her wedding to Prince Philip (Popperfoto/Getty) His creation is in ivory silk and decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls. The gown incorporates a 15ft star-patterned train, woven in Braintree in Essex and inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera, symbolising rebirth after the war. In 1947, Britain was still subject to rationing, so Princess Elizabeth collected clothing coupons to pay for the dress.

Queen Elizabeth Style File Queen Elizabeth as a child Glasshouse Images/Rex Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret AFP/Getty The Queen Mother holding Princess Margaret's hand as Princess Elizabeth follows Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Elizabeth picking daffodils on her 14th birthday in Windsor Park CSU Archives/Everett Collection/Rex Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten announce their engagement Everett Collection/Rex Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day Everett Collection/Rex 7/23 June 2, 1953 Queen Elizabeth accompanied by Prince Philip waves to the crowd after being crowned solemnly at Westminter Abbey STF/AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth at Epsom Downs Racecourse for the Oaks Stakes, Surrey Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty 9/23 February 23, 1962 The Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II arrive at Windsor's Theatre Royal for a performance of G. B.

Shaw's 'You Never Can Tell' AFP/Getty 10/23 July 1, 1977 Elizabeth presents the trophy to British tennis player Virginia Wade after she won the Women's Singles competition at Wimbledon Hulton Archive/Getty 11/23 June 11, 1992 Portrait taken in the city hall of Blois shows the Queen during her third official visit in France Joel Robine/AFP/Getty Elizabeth waves to a gathered crowd at the airport in Ottawa, Canada Dave Chan/AFP/Getty 13/23 November 24, 1998 Queen Elizabeth leaves the House of Lords following her speech at the Opening of Parliament ceremony Johnny Eggitt/AFP/Getty 14/23 March 2, 2002 Elizabeth arrives to host the golden jubilee banquet for delegates of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty The queen riding at Windsor Castle Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty 16/23 June 3, 2002 Prince Charles kisses his mother's hand after congratulating her on stage at the end of 'Party at the Palace', part of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee celebrations Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty 17/23 November 19, 

2004 Queen Elizabeth peers around a door to check the limousine awaiting for French President Jacques Chirac as they depart Windsor Castle Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Elizabeth visits Kabatas High School in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Prince Harry kisses his grandmother Sang Tan/AFP/Getty 20/23 April 29, 2011 Carole Middleton, Queen Elizabeth and Camilla share a joke following the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton Chris Jackson/Getty Queen Elizabeth is pictured during a visit to the Irish National Stud in Kildare John Stillwell/AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II's Ceremonial Robes Designed by Norman Hartnell The Queen's Wedding Dress Designer - Norman Hartnell In a sense, the Queen has been married twice.

The first time she became wedded to Prince Philip; the second time at her coronation, she became wedded to the people. Each occasion demanded a dress of majestic beauty and on each occasion she chose dress designer, Norman Hartnell. With his theatrical training, Hartnell was the ideal person to make spectacular dresses which would hold a stage of another kind. Hartnell's Research Less than three months before the wedding date, one of Hartnell's designs was approved and he began his research immediately. He describes this in his autobiography (1955): 'I roamed the London Art Galleries in search of classic inspiration and fortunately found a Botticelli figure in clinging ivory silk, trailed with jasmine, smilax, syringa and small white rose-like blossoms. I thought these flora might be interpreted on a modern dress through the medium of white crystals and pearls.' Because of Wartime restrictions, the pearls were not available in this country, and eventually Hartnell obtained twenty thousand of the correct pearls from America. Once the pearls were in his possession Hartnell set about transferring the embroidery design to the paper pattern, but before the embroideresses could carry out the work Hartnell found himself in the throes of a publicity scandal.

You are reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at © Politically Correct Silkworms ...(v4r) The Queen Mother had specifically asked that Hartnell should use an unusually rich, lustrous stiff satin which was made at Lullington Castle. The satin was ideal for the train, but Hartnell thought that the dress required a more supple material of a similar tone. He ordered the similar fabric from the Scottish firm of Winterthur near Dunfermline. Difficulties arose when rivals put about the rumour that the Scottish satin was made from 'enemy silk worms', either from Italy or possibly Japan. A telephone call to Dunfermline settled the scandal. Mr. Hartnell was assured the silkworms were from Nationalist China and were not 'enemy silkworms'. However politically correct the silkworms were, time has shown that the choice of silk was not a good one and below you can read some facts about the dress in my interview with Miss Kay Staniland, Keeper of the Robes in the London Museum in 1978.

But thirty years before in 1947 there was no immediate thought in Hartnell's mind that this would be a Museum piece of the future. His concern was to complete the gown as quickly and in as much secrecy as possible. Despite the many attempts of the press to bribe Hartnell's staff, the only glimpse newspapermen had of the dress, was when the covered four foot box containing the dress, left Hartnell's salon the day before the wedding. The Hartnell Wedding Dress and Pictures The following day the Princess walked down the aisle of Westminster Abbey on the arm of His Majesty King George VI. Right - Now we are married... The richly embroidered white satin wedding dress shimmered with her every movement. Softly spaced throughout the dress were garlands of pearl orange blossom, syringa, jasmine and White Rose of York. These were skilfully combined with flowing lines of wheat ears, the symbol of fertility, and worked in pearl and diamante. ï¿½ï¿½ The Royal wedding group The design was repeated throughout the length of the fifteen foot train and repeat motifs of embroidery bordered the sweetheart neckline, the long satin sleeves and the hem. Right - The beautiful embroidered train of the wedding dress.

Similar motifs were also featured on the complementary bridesmaids' dresses. H. R. H Princess Margaret wearing a dress with motifs in the same style as those on her sister's dress. Wisely, the Princess rejected the usual heavy heirloom lace so often worn by Royal brides, and instead chose a flattering soft white tulle veil that was half the length of the train. With it she wore a small Russian style sunray fringe tiara and a single row of pearls. You are reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at ©. An Interview with the Keeper of the Robes In the interests of posterity it might have been wiser to have used satin from another source, since the fabric used is quite rotted. At an interview in the London Museum in 1978, Miss Kay Staniland, Keeper of the Robes, told me that the Queen's wedding dress, which has been displayed several times, was in an appalling condition; the main problem being the silk used for the dress. Miss Staniland described the silk as being very heavily tin weighted.

She explained that the tin weighting was contributing to the continual deterioration of the fabric, speeding up the rotting process which starts as soon as any fabric is removed from the loom. In the early 1970s, the dress was displayed with half a dozen other Royal wedding dresses. When Miss Staniland attempted to fit the Queen's dress to its polystyrene dress form she found that the weight of the embroidery dragged the skirt down, increasing the strain on the weave. To have left the dress on the form as it was, would have resulted in the skirt tearing from the bodice. The problem was solved by the construction of a calico skirt with tapes. This was used to support the heavy embroidered skirt and was secured to the form, without adding strain to the bodice. Despite the fact that I was a serious costume student I was not allowed to even see, let alone handle the gown using special conservation gloves. However Miss Staniland kindly went to some trouble to show me photographs of the back view of the dress. The back fastening of the dress was not a zip, but a series of fourteen tiny covered buttons which were spaced closely together and stopped at the base of the spine.

All the buttonholes had unravelled and beneath these there was a zip for additional support. The left sleeve was badly frayed; the head having come completely away from the armhole, revealing a tear in the armpit. Some of the underarm degradation of the fabric was due probably to the combination of the metal salts in the silk and underarm perspiration which together speeded up the disintegration process. Anyone standing under intense camera lights knowing they would be watched by millions combined with the occasion of a marriage ceremony would perspire a great deal. ...(v4r) The keeper confided that gowns of this type were a nightmare to display and handle and from the Museum's point of view, the condition of this comparatively new dress was classified as poor. Already it was a conservation problem limiting the length of time it could be displayed even in the most carefully controlled conditions. Considering I was given that information a quarter of a century ago one can only speculate at the condition of the gown today. You are reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at ©.

ï¿½ Between Wedding and Coronation Within three years of the wedding ceremony, the Princess was a mother of two infants and it was at this period that press columnists began to describe her as 'dowdy' and 'frumpish'. Hartnell continued to design clothes for her, but they were still very much in the matronly styles favoured by the elder women who surrounded her, but particularly by her mother and Queen Mary. The description was very unkind and it's also important to remember that in the early 1950s women dressed like their mothers to appear older and more sophisticated unlike today when mothers hope to be taken for their daughter's friends. Princess Elizabeth's first attempt at adventurous clothing was abortive. Several dresses were ordered from the House of Molyneux for the Commonwealth Tour of 1952. During the first week of the tour, before Princess Elizabeth had a chance to wear any of them, news came of her father's death. They were never worn publicly because shortly after, Princess Margaret was heavily criticised by the British Fashion Houses for wearing Paris made Dior dresses rather than supporting British couturiers.

At the news of the King's death, the court went into mourning, and four thousand miles away at Sagana Royal Lodge in Kenya, hasty arrangements were made to fly the new Queen back to Britain via Entebbe. When she boarded the Dakota plane she wore a summery beige dress smattered with white flowers, a white hat, and white accessories. Photographers were asked not to photograph her, so there is no record of Elizabeth II on her accession day. At Entebbe airport she changed planes and there was able to change into mourning clothes, which are always present somewhere amongst Royal luggage in case of unexpected death. When Elizabeth II stepped out of the plane onto English soil, she was wearing deep black. The first person to kiss her hand was the aged Queen Mary. At the same time she is reported to have indicated her disapproval of the Queen's coat, saying, 'Much too short for mourning'. From the photographic evidence available it seems that the young Queen was developing a mind of her own. The coat she wore at her father's funeral appears to be no longer than the one criticised by Queen Mary. Within days of the Queen's accession, Committees were formed and skeleton plans for her Coronation were outlined.

The day of ceremony was to be June 2nd, 1953, some sixteen months later, during which time thousands of people had to spend thousands of hours involved in the arrangements. Once again Norman Hartnell was to play a part and in October 1952, he was summoned to the palace where he received his Coronation brief to design the Coronation ceremonial robes. You have been reading an original 'Queen's Wedding Dress' royalty fashion history article by Pauline Weston Thomas at ©. -------v6------- BBC NEWS | UK | Sixty facts about a royal marriage Printable version Sixty facts about a royal marriage Buckingham Palace has revealed 60 facts to mark the diamond wedding anniversary of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. THE ENGAGEMENT 1.The Queen is the first British monarch to have celebrated a diamond wedding anniversary. 2. Princess Elizabeth and Philip first met when they attended the wedding of Philip's cousin, Princess Marina of Greece to The Duke of Kent, who was an uncle of Princess Elizabeth, in 1934. 3. The engagement between Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN was announced on the 9 July 1947. Philip was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1939 and after the war, in February 1947, became a naturalised British subject. Philip was required to choose a surname in order to continue his career in the Royal Navy, and adopted Mountbatten, the name of his mother's British relatives. He was created Duke of Edinburgh by King George VI on marriage. 4. The platinum and diamond engagement ring was made by the jewellers, Philip Antrobus, using diamonds from a tiara belonging to Philip's mother. 5. Philip had two stag parties the night before the wedding - the first at the Dorchester to which the press were invited and the second with his closest friends at the Belfry Club. WESTMINSTER ABBEY The couple were married after a four-month engagement 6. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married in Westminster Abbey on 20 November, 1947 at 1130GMT with 2,000 invited guests. 7. It was the first, and so far only time in British history, that the heir presumptive to the throne had been married. 8.

The Queen was the 10th member of the Royal Family to be married in the Abbey. The first Royal wedding to take place in the Abbey was when King Henry I married Princess Matilda of Scotland on 11 November, 1100. On 26 April, 1923, the Queen's parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (then the Duke and Duchess of York) were married there. 9. The eight bridesmaids were: HRH The Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambart, The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten, The Hon. Margaret Elphinstone, The Hon. Diana Bowes-Lyon. 10. There were two pages: HRH Prince William of Gloucester and HRH Prince Michael of Kent, both aged just five. 11. Guests attending the wedding included the King and Queen of Denmark, the King and Queen of Yugoslavia, the Kings of Norway, Romania and the Shah of Iran. THE OUTFITS 12.The Queen's wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell, who had submitted designs for the dress in August 1947.

Princess Elizabeth wore satin shoes trimmed with silver and seed pearl 13. The fabric for the dress was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle. 14. The Queen's bridal veil was made of tulle and held by a tiara of diamonds. This tiara was made for Queen Mary in 1919. It was made from re-used diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and Co and a wedding present for Queen Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Queen Mary gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth from whom it was borrowed by Princess Elizabeth for her wedding in 1947. 15. After the wedding, the dress was exhibited at St James's Palace and was then shown in the capital towns of the British Isles and in Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, Preston, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield. THE FLOWERS 16. The bride's wedding bouquet was supplied by the Worshipful Company of Gardeners and made by the florist MH Longman.

It was of white orchids with a sprig of myrtle from the bush grown from the original myrtle in Queen Victoria's wedding bouquet. An identical copy of the bouquet was made and presented to The Queen on her Golden Wedding in 1997. 17. The grave of the Unknown Warrior was the only stone that was not covered by the special carpet in the Abbey. The day after the wedding, Princess Elizabeth followed a Royal tradition started by her mother, of sending her wedding bouquet back to the Abbey to be laid on this grave. 18. The bridesmaids wore wreaths in their hair of miniature white sheaves, Lilies and London Pride, modelled in white satin and silver lame. They were made by Jac Ltd of London. The pages wore Royal Stewart tartan kilts. 19. The bridesmaids' bouquets, prepared by Moyses Stevens, were of white orchids, lilies of the valley, gardenias, white bouvardia, white roses and white nerine. THE SERVICE 20. The bells of St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey, hailed the arrival of the carriage procession. The Queen arrived at the Abbey with her father, George VI, in the Irish State Coach.

The Queen was married in Westminster Abbey 21. Other music at the wedding included: Psalm 67 (God be merciful unto us and bless us) sung to a setting by EC Bairstow; the motet We Wait For Thy Loving Kindness, O God, by Dr William McKie, organist and master of the choristers of the Abbey; the hymn The Lord's My Shepherd (to the then relatively unknown Scottish tune Crimond); the anthem Blessed Be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by SS Wesley was sung by the Abbey choir and members of the choirs of the Chapel Royal and St George's Chapel Windsor; and after signing the register in St Edward's Chapel, the procession made its way out of the Abbey to Mendelssohn's Wedding March. 22. There were 91 singers at the wedding, made up from the Abbey Choir, the Choir of HM Chapels Royal and additional tenors and basses. They sat in the organ loft as the choir stalls were occupied by various dignitaries. 23.

William McKie, the Abbey organist, had been summoned to the Palace four days before the wedding so that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret could sing the descant to Crimond to him so that he could note it down as no other copy was available. 24. The two Royal kneelers, used during the service, were covered in rose pink silk. They were made from orange boxes, due to war time austerity, and date stamped 1946. The number of signatures on the marriage register ran into two pages 25. The altar was hung with the white dorsal given in 1911 by King George V and Queen Mary for their coronation and the 1937 coronation frontal given by the Princess' parents. The Abbey plate was displayed on the altar. 26. The bride's wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David's mine, near Dolgellau. 27.

As not all the people to sign the register could fit into St Edward's Chapel, only the bride and groom, the King and Queen, Queen Mary and Princess Andrew of Greece (the groom's mother), the Archbishop, and the Dean of Westminster signed it at this point. The rest of the signatures were added later at Buckingham Palace. They included: Princess Margaret, Prince George of Greece (the groom's uncle), Henry (Duke of Gloucester), Alice (Duchess of Gloucester), Princess Marina (Duchess of Kent), Lady Patricia Ramsay, Alexander Ramsay, Alice Mary (Countess of Athlone), Earl of Athlone, Victoria Milford Haven, Nada Milford Haven, Edwina Mountbatten of Burma, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, King Haakon (of Norway), King Michael (of Romania), Queen Ingrid (of Denmark), King Frederick (of Denmark). 28. Trumpet fanfares were introduced for the first time at a Royal wedding in the Abbey. A white flag was waved in the organ loft to signal the fanfare once the register had been signed. 29.

The position of the BBC microphones had to be carefully checked as at the 1934 Royal wedding, the Abbey cross had hit the microphone suspended above the altar steps. Radio commentators shared the organ loft with the choir. PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS 30. Thousands of people lined the processional route and were able to file through the Abbey after the service. Millions listened to the live radio broadcast. 31. The film of the wedding was watched by many thousands of people at cinemas across the country. 32. About 10,000 telegrams of congratulations were received at Buckingham Palace. WEDDING GIFTS 33. The Royal couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from well-wishers around the world. Most were put on display for a few days in a charity exhibition at St James's Palace. From India, there was a piece of crocheted, cotton lace made from yarn personally spun by Mahatma Gandhi. The central motif reads "Jai Hind" (Victory for India). The couple received a pair of Meissen chocolate pots from Pope Pius XII 34.

Other gifts from abroad included a gold and jade necklace given by King Farouk of Egypt, a writing desk from the Government of New Zealand and pieces from a Chinese porcelain dinner service printed with characters denoting "double joy" given by President Chiang Kai Shek of the Chinese Republic. 35. As well as jewellery from their close relatives, including the King and Queen, the couple received many useful items for the kitchen and home, including salt cellars from the Queen, a bookcase from Queen Mary, and a picnic case from Princess Margaret. 36. Other gifts, kindly made and given by members of the public, included a hand-knitted cardigan, two pairs of bed socks, and a hand-knitted tea cosy. 37. Over 200,000 people visited the special exhibition of wedding presents at St James's Palace. THE WEDDING RECEPTION 38. The "wedding breakfast" was held after the marriage ceremony at Westminster Abbey in the Ball Supper-room at Buckingham Palace. The menu was Filet de Sole Mountbatten, Perdreau en Casserole, Bombe Glacee Princess Elizabeth. The wedding reception was held at Buckingham Palace 39.

The bride and groom sat at the main table with the bride's parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the bride's grandmother, Queen Mary, her sister Princess Margaret, the groom's mother, Princess Andrew of Greece, the groom's uncle, Prince George of Greece and the Kings of Norway, Denmark and Romania. 40. Individual posies of myrtle and white Balmoral heather were placed at each place setting as "favours" (gifts to the guests). 41. The flowers decorating the tables were pink and white carnations, donated by the British Carnation Society. 42. The string band of the Grenadier Guards played music during the "wedding breakfast" under the direction of Captain FJ Harris. The King's Pipe Major also played at the lunch. 43. The official wedding cake was made by McVities and Price. Eleven other cakes were given as presents. With post-war food rationing still in place ingredients were sent as wedding presents from overseas, for example the official cake was made using ingredients given as a wedding gift by Australian Girl Guides. Pieces of cake and food parcels were later distributed to schoolchildren and institutions. 44.

The cake was nine feet high in four tiers, with painted panels of the armorial bearings of both families, and included the monograms of bride and groom, sugar-iced figures to depict their favourite activities, and regimental and naval badges. The cake was cut using the Duke's Mountbatten sword, which was a wedding present from the King. 45. United Biscuits, which now owns the former McVities and Price brand, will be making two cakes to mark the diamond wedding anniversary in 2007. The first of the cakes will be on display at the lunch for members of various Royal Families at Buckingham Palace after the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on the 19 November. The second cake will be distributed to members of staff. THE HONEYMOON The Queen and Prince Philip spent some of their honeymoon in Malta 46. The bride and bridegroom left the Palace showered with rose petals. For the Princess' going-away outfit, Hartnell designed an ensemble of a dress and matching coat in mist-blue with mushroom-coloured accessories. 47. The couple departed from Waterloo station with the Princess's corgi, Susan, for their honeymoon. 48.

The newlyweds spent their wedding night at Broadlands in Hampshire, home of Prince Philip's uncle Earl Mountbatten. The second part of the honeymoon was spent at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate. MARRIED LIFE 49. Early in 1948 the couple leased their first marital home, Windlesham Moor, in Surrey, near Windsor Castle, where they stayed until they moved to Clarence House on 4 July 1949. Prince Philip was not crowned or anointed at the Queen's coronation 50. After marrying Princess Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh continued his naval career, reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Commander in command of the frigate HMS Magpie. 51. Although he was the Queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh was not crowned or anointed at the Coronation ceremony in 1953. He was the first subject to pay Homage to Her Majesty, and kiss the newly crowned Queen by stating "I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, do become your liege man of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks.

So help me God." 52. Prince Philip has accompanied the Queen on all her Commonwealth tours and State visits, as well as on public engagements in all parts of the UK. The first of these was the Coronation tour of the Commonwealth from November 1953 to May 1954, when the couple visited Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar, travelling a distance of 43,618 miles. 53. The Duke of Edinburgh is only one of a few consorts to reigning female Queens in British history. William III was co-Sovereign with Mary II, although she, as daughter of James II, was nearer the throne than him. The husband of Queen Anne was not given the title of King, but remained Prince George of Denmark. Prince Albert was created Prince Consort by Queen Victoria in 1857. The Royal couple had four children 54. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have four children: Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales (b. 1948), Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (b.

1950), Prince Andrew, The Duke of York (b. 1960), and Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex (b. 1964). 55. With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, the Queen became the first reigning Sovereign to give birth to a child since Queen Victoria, whose youngest child, Princess Beatrice, was born in 1857. 56. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have seven grandchildren - Peter Phillips (b. 1977), Zara Phillips (b. 1981) Prince William (b. 1982), Prince Harry (b. 1984), Princess Beatrice (b. 1988), Princess Eugenie (b. 1990), and Lady Louise Windsor (b. 2003). The Earl and Countess of Wessex are expecting their second child in December. 57. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary in the year of the coronation, with a dance at Clarence House given by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. They left on their Commonwealth tour three days later. ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS 58.

A service of thanksgiving was held in Westminster Abbey for both the Silver and Golden wedding anniversaries. 59. There will be a service of thanksgiving in Westminster Abbey on the 19 November 2007 to celebrate the Diamond Wedding Anniversary. On the 20 November, the day of their wedding anniversary, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will travel to Malta where they lived as a young married couple from 1949-51 while the Duke was stationed there as a serving Royal Naval officer. 60. Five choristers who sang at the 1947 Wedding Service in Westminster Abbey will be serving at the Service of Thanksgiving on the 19 November, 2007 in Westminster Abbey. The Queen's wedding and coronation dresses to be displayed together for the first time The Queen's wedding and coronation dresses to be displayed together for the first time Double celebration: The Queen's wedding and Coronation dresses Credit: Royal Collection Trust Lexi Finnigan 27 May 2016 • 2:31pm The Queen’s wedding and Coronation dresses are to be displayed together for the first time ever, in celebration of the monarch’s 90th birthday.

Both designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, the two gowns will form part of a special exhibition, Fashioning a Reign: 90 Years of Style from The Queen’s Wardrobe. Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress Credit: Royal Collection Trust When commissioned to design Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress for her Marriage to The Duke of Edinburgh on 20 November 1947, Sir Hartnell said he wanted to produce “the most beautiful dress I had so far made”. The ivory silk creation is decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls and incorporates a 15 foot star-patterned train. Close-up detail of Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress Credit: Royal Collection Trust Hartnell, who had worked for the Royal Family since 1938, was then commissioned to design the dress worn by The Queen for her Coronation at Westminster Abbey, on 2 June 1953. Richly embroidered in a lattice-work effect with a scheme of national and Commonwealth floral emblems , the white duchesse satin gown is encrusted with seed pearls, sequin and crystals.

Her Majesty The Queen's Coronation dress, Credit: Royal Collection Trust And unbeknown to the Queen, Hartnell added an extra four-leaf shamrock on the left side of the skirt for good luck. The exhibition at the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace , which opens on 23 July, is the first time the two dresses have been displayed together. A Sketch of the Coronation dress Credit: Royal Collection Trust And as part of the Fashioning a Reign exhibition two other special displays, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Windsor Castle, will chart important events in the Queen’s life and highlight the monarch’s long-standing support of British couture and millinery. Watch | The Queen's 90 years in 90 pictures 01:39

Question: Who designed the then Princess Elizabeth's wedding dress in 1947?
Answer: Norman Hartnell