When Queen Elizabeth II was still a Princess, she married Prince Phillip in one of the biggest media frenzies the world had ever seen, just two years after World War II was over.
Botticelli’s Primavera Painting Inspired Princess Elizabeth’s Wedding Dress
A young Princess Elizabeth met Prince Phillip of Greece and Denmark at Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina’s wedding on November 29, 1934.
Elizabeth was only eight years old at the time, and Phillip was thirteen. They later met again when they were older and started a relationship.
The two of them exchanged letters while Phillip was serving in World War II. When he came home, he asked King George VI for permission to marry his daughter.
On November 20, 1947, Princess Elizabeth, the oldest daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I (The Queen Mother), had her dream wedding at Westminster Abbey.
Phillip was made Duke of Edinburgh, Baron Greenwich, and Earl of Merioneth on the morning of the royal nuptials. Elizabeth was a vision in her beautiful wedding dress.
The dress was created by British courtier Norman Hartnell and was inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera painting. It was made from duchesse satin and embroidered with delicate pearls in a floral design.
The gown had a heart-shaped neckline and long-fitted sleeves. It boasted a regal 13-foot silk train. Hartnell secretly designed a lucky clover on the left side of the skirt
“so that Her Majesty’s hand could rest upon it during the ceremony.”
Elizabeth paid for her dress with clothing coupons she had saved due to strict rationing measures after the war. People around the country sent the Princess coupons to help her pay for her gown.
Elizabeth Wore The Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara For The Ceremony
Elizabeth’s wedding bouquet comprised three types of white British-grown orchids: white cattleya, odontoglossum, and cypripedium orchids.
A sprig of myrtle was added from the grounds of the Osborne House, which belonged to Queen Victoria. Almost every royal bride since Queen Victoria has incorporated myrtle in her wedding bouquet.
Elizabeth chose Queen Mary’s fringe tiara, to complete her elegant look. The tiara was made in 1919 and was fashioned of gold and silver.
The Queen Mary adorned it with diamonds from a tiara she received from Queen Victoria as a wedding present in July 1893. The tiara can be worn as a tiara or a necklace.
The Princess accessorized with the Queen Anne necklace and the Queen Caroline necklace, which she received as wedding gifts from her father, King George VI.
Elizabeth and Phillip’s extravagant wedding cake was a nine-foot-tall fruitcake. It was covered in white icing and decorated with sugar sculptures of the bride and groom, as well as turtle doves, cupids, orange blossoms, and myrtle springs. The enormous cake boasted four tiers and weighed 500 pounds.
The wedding cake was created by Mr. Schur, chief confectioner at McVitie and Price Ltd. It served 2,000 slices of cake to the guests at the royal event. The historic event was broadcast by BBC Radio around the world.
The couple’s love was evident and enduring from that day forward. They stayed together until Prince Phillip passed away on April 9, 2021. Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022. They are survived by their four children, King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and all their grandchildren.
For any other soap opera and entertainment news, please visit again Daily Soap Dish.
