Every bride is torn between choosing practical heels that prioritise comfort something with a little more flair that you'll remember forever – enter inspiration from royal brides like Princess Kate who was on her feet for hours in front of the cameras.
If you're comfort-driven, you might like to check out Princess Diana's flat shoes or Queen Elizabeth's sandals, but if you're keen to make a style statement, turn to Queen Camilla's colourful heels and Meghan Markle's skyscrapers. Unfortunately, most royal brides' shoes have been largely concealed by their beautiful wedding dresses. Join us as we take a look at the rare peeks when they lift their floor-skimming gowns.
Princess Charlene's platform heels
Princess Charlene wore multiple wedding dresses for her big day with Prince Albert in July 2011, which calls for multiple pairs of heels. For her religious wedding ceremony, the bride's long stride down the aisle lifted the hem of her gown to reveal rounded-toe platform heels.
Princess Charlene's sandals
In the evening, she teamed her layered sparkly second dress with open-toe sandals.
Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen wedding shoes
The Duchess of Cambridge also opted for Alexander McQueen to complement her Sarah Burton wedding dress for the royal wedding in 2011. The mid-height heels featured a rounded toe and were crafted from lace that matched her gorgeous gown.
Princess Beatrice's Valentino wedding shoes
Most of Princess Beatrice's bridal outfit at her 2020 pandemic wedding with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi was recycled. Alongside her Norman Hartnell wedding dress, which belonged to the Queen, the royal donned a pair of embellished Valentino heels that she had previously worn for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding in 2011. They are now on display at Windsor Castle.
Princess Diana's Clive Shilton wedding shoes
For her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, Princess Diana paired her iconic David and Elizabeth Emanuel wedding dress with silk satin pumps, deliberately designed to pay tribute to the couple. As well as the 542 sequins and 132 pearls embroidered on the top, the letters C and D to symbolise Charles and Diana were painted on the bottom of each heel surrounded by a floral design.
Clive Shilton, who made the shoes, told the Daily Mail: "[Diana] was a very shy, sweet, smiley-eyed young girl. Her main concern was that she wouldn't appear taller than Prince Charles, and because she was very tall—5'10"—the shoes would have to have a low heel."
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Queen Elizabeth's Rayne Shoes wedding shoes
The late Queen opted for a practical but pretty peep-toe sandal for her wedding to Prince Philip. Her block-heel wedding shoes were designed by Rayne Shoes and are a timeless, elegant choice for brides.
Meghan Markle's Givenchy court shoes
The Duchess of Sussex opted for classic court shoes from the same label that created her wedding dress – Givenchy. Meghan's shoes were said to be "based on a Givenchy refined pointed couture design made of a silk duchess satin", and royal fans got a peek at her bridal footwear as she exited St George's Chapel with her husband Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle's Aquazzurra wedding shoes
As well as changing her wedding dress, Meghan also had a change of wedding shoes for her evening reception. The Duchess donned a pair of bespoke Aquazzurra heels that featured a pale blue sole to complement her evening ensemble, which consisted of a Stella McCartney gown and her new wedding gift from Prince Harry – an aquamarine ring that previously belonged to Princess Diana.
Queen Consort Camilla's L.K. Bennett wedding shoes
The Queen Consort chose not to wear a white wedding dress for her nuptials to King Charles in 2005, instead opting to wear a pale blue Robinson Valentine ensemble that she styled with pale grey silk heels from LK.. Bennett, a favourite among royals including the Duchess of Cambridge.
Princess Eugenie's Charlotte Olympia wedding shoes
Princess Eugenie wore a pair of Charlotte Olympia shoes with a peep toe and block heel for her wedding to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018. The wedding shoes were made from a textured ivory fabric and worked well with her Peter Pilotto wedding dress.
Duchess Sophie's ivory wedding shoes
The Duchess of Edinburgh wore elegant ivory heels for her wedding to Prince Edward. The court shoes featured a V-shaped cut in the bridge and a mid-height heel.
Zara Tindall's Jimmy Choo wedding shoes
Jimmy Choo was the footwear designer of choice for Zara Phillips on her wedding day to Mike Tindall in 2011. The ivory heels were a stylish finishing touch to Zara's bridal look, which consisted of a Stewart Parvin wedding dress and the Greek 'Key' tiara, which was lent to her by Princess Anne.
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