Lady Diana Spencer wed Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, and became Princess Diana. The global event was broadcasted to over 750 million people, while 2 million spectators watched the procession in person.
But what really had people talking was Princess Diana's wedding dress, which had been kept a secret for months. The designers Elizabeth and David Emanuel hired security and police to make sure no one broke into their studio while they designed the gown.
“She was just lovely, really kind of easy going. We never had any special instructions about how to make the wedding dress," Elizabeth told People. "That added a bit to the fun of it all, made it a bit of an adventure.”
The dress was kept under wraps so well that details were only released in sealed envelopes the morning of the wedding. They were only to be opened when she stepped into her carriage.
Keep scrolling to read 11 more secrets about Princess Diana's wedding dress!
1. There Was A Lot Of Fabric Involved
Princess Diana's wedding dress was made from six different fabrics, including 25 yards of silk taffeta.
2. She Lost Several Inches Before The Big Day
Like many brides, Princess Diana watched what she ate and lost weight.
"She ended up with a 23-inch waist from a 26-to 27-inch," Elizabeth Emanuel, the gown's designer, revealed to People in August 2017. Because of this, she had to be sewn into the dress on the big day.
3. The Dress Train Remains The Longest In Royal History
Princess Diana's dress had an infamous 25-foot train. It's still the longest in all of royal history.
In contrast, Kate Middleton opted for a shorter nine-foot train.
4. There Were Thousands Of Pearl Details
According to the National Constitution Center, the entire dress was hand-embroidered with over 10,000 pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins.
5. The Dress Was Wrinkled Before The Ceremony
While Diana wanted more and more fabric for her train, it could barely fit inside the coach that brought her to her wedding.
This resulted in her dress being wrinkled by the time she emerged from the coach.
6. There Was A Hidden Token For Luck
As a good luck token, the gown's designers sewed a small gold horseshoe into Diana's dress.
The charm was encrusted with white diamonds!
7. She Followed Classic Bridal Traditions
Just because she was becoming a princess didn't mean Diana would ignore bridal traditions. She made sure to have something new, old, borrowed, and blue.
The lace was old, new silk was sewn into the dress, she borrowed a tiara from her family, and there was a small blue bow sewn inside the dress.
8. She Stained The Dress While Getting Ready
Princess Diana was so nervous before her wedding that she spilled her perfume down the front of her gown.
The accident even left a small stain!
9. Part Of The Gown Dated Back To The 1800s
There was a special square of lace that dated back to Queen Mary, who lived from 1867 to 1953.
10. Her Shoes Took Months To Craft
No one could really see Princess Diana's shoes under her dress, but they were quite special.
They were made of ivory silk with pearls, and they took half a year to make.
11. The Veil Was Longer Than Her Train
The veil had over 450 feet of netting, technically making it longer than the 25-foot train.
12. Kate Borrowed Her Tiara From The Queen
Just like Princess Diana, Kate borrowed a tiara.
Since her non-royal family didn't have their own tiara, Queen Elizabeth let her use a Cartier halo tiara, complete with 1,000 diamonds.
13. She Wore The Same Engagement Ring
Prince William also famously proposed to Kate with his mother's sapphire engagement ring.
14. They Both Embraced A Particular Lily
Kate's wedding bouquet included lily of the valley. Princess Diana's perfume had a top note of the same flower.
Kate also wore a scent that had top notes of lily of the valley on her wedding day to pay tribute to Diana.
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