“If you find someone you love in your life, then hang on to that love.”
– Princess Diana
Wedding of the Century
Watching the Wedding of the Century along with over 750 million other people back in 1981 was what made me (and the rest of the world) fall in LOVE with Princess Diana.
You cannot envision the wedding without thinking of David and Elizabeth Emanuel, who designed Diana’s wedding dress. We are honored to display “The Spare” wedding dress, which was re-created by Elizabeth Emanuel for The Princess Diana Museum. This dress was made just in case the gown got stolen, burnt in a fire, or its secret exposed, and Diana was not aware of its existence.
Also on display are the original wedding archives from David and Elizabeth Emanuel, which include notes about Diana’s flowers and the world’s best-kept secret about where Diana’s long veil was actually made.
The "Secret Wedding Dress", designed by Elizabeth Emanuel and photographed here for People Magazine's 50th Anniversary event, 'Styling Diana', held in New York, May 2024 in collaboration with Fotografiska.
To think now that The Princess Diana Museum has preserved a piece of wedding cake that is over 43 years old is surreal.
The original Tambour hook that Peggy Umpelby used to embroider the Royal wedding veil, which she did in the secrecy of her own home, applying over 10,000 individual mother-of-pearl sequins over a period of two weeks, is also on display.
“Pre Wedding Ball Gown”
The dazzling, shocking pink silk taffeta gown was created at the Emanuel studio for the then Lady Diana to wear at the pre-wedding ball held at Buckingham Palace on Monday, 27th July 1981. This was two days before the Royal Wedding on July 29th, 1981, when Lady Diana became HRH, The Princess of Wales, at her wedding to HRH, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.
We are excited to share these historical artifacts with you!
Visit The Princess Diana Museum to view never-before-seen items from Diana’s wedding day.
