sarah ferguson

Sarah Ferguson comments on 'reduced figure' ahead of wedding with Prince Andrew

The Duchess of York wore a corset wedding dress by Lindka Cierach

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Read our full commerce guidelines here.

Deputy Lifestyle Editor
March 3, 2023

Sarah, Duchess of York looked gorgeous on her 1986 wedding day with Prince Andrew, but she later admitted that she was on a mission to lose weight before slipping into her puff-sleeve bridal gown.

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice's mother – who currently resides in Royal Lodge with her ex-husband – was in the process of praising her "genius" wedding dress designer Lindka Cierach when she confessed that she liked the way it fit her "reduced figure" after she shed 26 pounds. Watch the video to see Sarah and more royal brides' outfits on their wedding days...

WATCH: Look back at the most show-stopping royal wedding dresses over the years

Boasting long sleeves, an embellished corset and an A-line skirt, Sarah described her gown as "an exquisite creation I'd lost twenty-six pounds to fit into" in her 1997 autobiography, My Story.

"Lindka was a genius; I knew she could make the most flattering gown ever, and she had," she wrote. "It was amazingly boned, like a corset. We’d chosen duchess satin because it is the creamiest material in the world.

Sarah Ferguson revealed she lost 26 pounds before her wedding

"It never creases. It is smooth as glass and hangs beautifully, without a single bulge; it made my reduced figure look even better," she added, and in 2015, she admitted her more recent "addiction" to food was mainly "to suppress my feelings."

READ NOW: How Sarah Ferguson's divorce from Prince Andrew changed royal family dynamic

Estimated to cost £35,000, Sarah's gown also featured a 17-foot-long train embroidered with the bride and groom's initials A and S in silver beads, and symbols including anchors and waves representing Prince Andrew's sailing background.

The royal bride changed into a floral co-ord for her honeymoon

After saying 'I do' at Westminster Abbey on 23 July 1986, the Duchess and her ex-husband Prince Andrew enjoyed a wedding party at Claridges Hotel before jetting off to the Azores for their honeymoon.

As she made her way to Heathrow Airport on the evening of their wedding, Sarah revealed she had changed into a blue and white floral co-ord, including a short-sleeved peplum jacket with a nipped-in waist and a pleated ankle-length skirt. 

The former couple still live together at Royal Lodge

Despite the fact that the couple divorced in 1996, Sarah has nothing but fond memories of her wedding day. She told Piers Morgan: "Like every bride's wedding day, it's a special day. And you've got a beautiful dress on. But you're standing there with the man you love.

"And then there are people out there who are wishing you so well. And it's just extraordinary."

LOOK: Sarah Ferguson's half-sister pictured yawning in hilarious royal wedding photo

Planning your wedding? Sign up to HELLO!’s Bride Guide newsletter for expert advice, budget help, wedding inspiration and real life stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Weddings

See more