First look at Princess Diana's iconic wedding dress on display at Kensington Palace

4 June 2021, 11:32

Princess Diana's wedding dress looks glorious on display at Kensington Palace. Picture: Getty

By Alice Dear

Princess Diana's famous wedding dress – complete with the record-breaking 25ft train – has been moved to Kensington Palace as part of a new exhibition.

Princess Diana's iconic wedding dress has gone on display in Kensington Palace this week as part of a new exhibition, Royal Style in the Making.

The gown was loaned from Prince Harry, 36, and Prince William, 38, who inherited the wedding gown after their mother's tragic death.

Diana wore the gown when she married Prince Charles in July 1981 at St Paul's Cathedral.

The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, and featured an impressive 25ft sequin-encrusted train.

Princess Diana's wedding gown was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. Picture: Getty

While a wedding dress we wouldn't see on many brides today, the famous dress was considered very fashionable at the time, featuring a fitted bodice, frills and puffed sleeves.

Organisers of the Royal Style in the Making exhibition said that the dress is "among the most famous in bridal history".

In a video interview which is being played at the exhibition, Elizabeth Emanuel recalls the moment Diana called her and asked her to make a wedding dress for the big day.

She explains: "It was one of those strange moments where you know your life is never going to be the same again."

The dress featured a 25ft long train, which remains the longest in royal bridal history. Picture: Getty

The wedding gown will sit in the exhibition until January 2, 2022, and can be seen by the public when they book to tour Kensington Palace.

Aside from Diana's gown, the exhibition will also feature a history of royal fashion, including designers who have worked with the Queen, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother.

Prince Harry and Prince William have loaned the dress to the Kensington Palace exhibition until January. Picture: Getty

A brief history of Princess Diana's wedding dress

Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel for her wedding to Prince Charles, which was held at St Paul's Cathedral on July 29, 1981.

The dress features a fitted bodice, a ruffled collar complete with bow, lace and sequins and 10,000 pearls.

It also had a 25ft-long train, which remains to this day the longest in royal bridal history.

The lace used in the detail of the gown was antique Carrickmacross lace which once belonged to Queen Mary, Charles' great-grandmother.

The details of the dress design was kept hidden from the public until the big day, and it has even been reported that they had a back-up dress if the design was leaked.