Meghan Markle's wedding dress designer has shared some behind-the-scenes insight into the royal wedding, as she reflects on the "extraordinarily historic" day. Claire Waight Keller, who was on hand to ensure Meghan's Givenchy gown and veil were perfectly placed for her walk down the aisle, opened up about her experiences of the wedding in a series of Instagram posts.
Sharing the now iconic aerial shot of newlyweds the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their carriage procession through Windsor, Claire revealed that she watched it all from St George's Chapel with Prince Harry's uncle Charles Spencer. "One of my absolute favourite photos of the week - the stunning aerial picture of the newlywed Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their carriage to Windsor," Claire wrote. "I watched from the church as they went by and stood next to Lady Diana's brother Earl Spencer. Quite an incredibly poignant moment."
Photo: © Getty Images Claire Waight Keller was on hand to adjust Meghan's dress at the royal wedding
Claire also regaled her growing number of followers with stories not only from the big day, but also the lead-up to the royal wedding, in which she got to know both Meghan and Prince Harry. "Their fresh approach to everything they do has inspired us all and the very visible love and commitment to each other and their support and passion for their charities and work is in everything they do," the designer said.
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Having the honour of designing Meghan's dress also meant that Claire was a big part of the royal wedding, and was there to witness the official portraits of the royal family captured at Windsor Castle after the ceremony. It was "quite a surreal moment" for the designer, who arranged Meghan's dress and veil so it sat perfectly in the photos, in which she was surrounded by the Queen, Prince Charles and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge among other senior royals. "A memory I will treasure forever," Claire added.
Claire said she will "treasure" her memories from the royal wedding forever
Claire and her team at Givenchy spent an incredible 3,900 hours over the course of four months making Meghan's stunning gown. A team of 50 people worked to create the dress, veil, bridal shoes and bridesmaids' dresses. Even though the overall look was simple, Meghan's dress was filled with special details that added extra meaning to her outfit.
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As well as the hand-embroidered national flowers, the veil also featured a Californian poppy to represent Meghan's homeland. She also wore the stunning Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara, loaned to her by Harry’s grandmother the Queen, which was first created for the Queen's grandmother Queen Mary back in 1932. It features a detachable brooch, given to Mary as a wedding present in 1893 by the County of Lincoln.