As Prince Harry prepares to walk down the aisle with Meghan Markle on May 19, it's only natural that all the royal wedding excitement brings to mind his brother Prince William's 2011 nuptials with Kate Middleton. As we wait with anticipation to see what bride-to-be Meghan wears for her royal wedding weekend, we're taking a look back at the Duchess of Cambridge's nuptial wardrobe, from her last appearance as a future royal on the night before the Westminster Abbey ceremony to what Kate wore the following day as she embarked on her newlywed life with new husband Prince William.
The Night Before Look
On April 28, 2011, the night before she tied the knot with Prince William, Kate was spotted arriving with her mother Carole Middleton and sister Pippa to London's Goring Hotel, where she would spend her last night as a single woman. The future royal looked relaxed and gorgeous as she waved to photographers and well-wishers outside the historic luxury hotel wearing a cropped cream-colored jacket with ruffled lapels, a printed black and white dress and trusty wedge heels in patent leather.
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The Wedding Dress
When Kate appeared outside Westminster Abbey on her father's arm wearing an exquisite Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown, months of speculation about what she'd wear finally came to an end – and an instantly iconic royal wedding look was born! The dress was crafted from silk and hand-cut English and Chantilly lace, with images of roses, thistles, daffodils, and shamrocks embroidered using a 19th-century technique. The veil, created at the Royal School of Needlework, was crafted with hand-embroidered flowers.
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The Reception Dress
After the ceremony, it was time to party! For the evening reception at Clarence House, the Duchess of Cambridge wore a Sarah Burton by Alexander McQueen strapless gown featuring a corseted sweetheart neckline bodice, an A-line skirt and diamante embroidered belt at the waist. Kate had let her hair down to cascade past her shoulders and topped the beautiful bespoke dress with a jacket.
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The Honeymoon Outfit
The day after the wedding, the elated couple left Buckingham Palace hand in hand to board a helicopter as husband and wife. After wearing couture outfits for her big day, Kate opted for a Zara dress and blazer and the same wedge heels she had worn on her the eve of her spectacular nuptials for her first post-wedding photographs.
After reminiscing about William and Kate's big day (and the fashion that went with it), we are especially excited about what this weekend's royal wedding has in store! For all the latest on Harry and Meghan's royal wedding, click here.