The wedding dresses of the last five Queens of England will be on display at Kensington Palace, marking the first time the dresses will be seen in one place. The May 2002 show, part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, will remain open for a year alongside the permanent exhibition, The Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.
“It’s the first time the Queen’s wedding dress has been seen for 27 years,” said a spokesman for Kensington Palace. “These are the types of dress people want to see when they come here. People have memories of them and we thought it would be nice to get them together for the Jubilee.”
Queen Victoria’s ivory silk gown from her 1840 marriage to Prince Albert will feature prominently at the show, as will the Queen Mother’s 1920’s straight line dress. Queen Elizabeth II’s Norman Hartnell gown with pearl embroidery, which she wore for her wedding to Albert, Duke of York in 1923, will also be on display, as will the wedding gowns worn by Queen Alexandra in 1863 and Queen Mary in 1893.
The permanent collection includes royal wares from the 18th to the 20th century, as well as a section dedicated to the late Princess of Wales, featuring the designs of Catherine Walker. However, Diana’s wedding dress remains on view at her childhood home, Althorp.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
