From Queen Elizabeth II's 1947 marriage to Prince Philip to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2018 nuptials, the British royal family have provided the world with so many beautiful, romantic and iconic royal weddings over the years. While some of these royal brides and grooms lived happily ever after, others found their storybook weddings ended in divorce – but their paths somehow don't detract from the picture perfect nature of their wedding days. Take a look back at these royal brides – and their bespoke wedding dresses and heirloom tiaras – as they marry their dashing Prince Charmings in our photo gallery featuring Kate Middleton, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, Sarah Ferguson, Princess Margaret and more. MEGHAN MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY With Prince Harry looking like a true Prince Charming in his frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, former Suits actress Meghan Markle's big day on May 19, 2018, was nothing less than a fairytale. The bride wore a Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy wedding dress, and niece and nephew Princess Charlotte and Prince George were among the adorable page boys and bridesmaids. ALL PHOTOS: Getty Images
At the altar of St George's Chapel in Windsor, Prince Harry slipped a ring made of Welsh gold onto his bride's finger, inset. Meghan was also wearing Cartier jewels and the heirloom Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara. FOR PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN'S FULL WEDDING ALBUM, CLICK HERE
KATE MIDDLETON AND PRINCE WILLIAM Prince William and Kate Middleton married on April 29, 2011 in a picture perfect royal wedding ceremony where the bride wore an exquisite gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The spectacular Westminster Abbey nuptials somehow also felt like a close-knit family wedding – perhaps because the bride and groom's respective siblings, Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry, served as bridesmaid and best man. Photo: Getty Images
Happily ever after! The newlyweds rode in a 1902 State Landau carriage to Buckingham Palace as crowds lining the streets cheered. For the reception at the Palace, Duchess Kate traded her lace gown for another Alexander McQueen look to celebrate with the newlyweds' nearest and dearest. FOR PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE'S FULL WEDDING ALBUM, CLICK HERE
PRINCESS DIANA AND PRINCE CHARLES On July 29, 1981, 19-year-old aristocrat Diana Spencer starred in one of the most memorable royal weddings in modern history. For her big day, Diana wore a stunning pearl and sequin-embroidered silk taffeta and lace gown by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The creation featured a spectacular 25-foot train. Photo: Getty Images
A crowd of about 600,000 lined the streets of London, while an estimated 750 million people watched the event on television. Here, Charles and Diana emerge on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with their wedding party, including Prince Philip, right, to greet the throngs of well-wishers. FOR CHARLES AND DIANA'S FULL WEDDING ALBUM, CLICK HERE
SARAH, DUCHESS OF YORK AND PRINCE ANDREW Five years after Prince Charles married Princess Diana, Great Britain once again was in a mood of celebration as his little brother, Prince Andrew, found his princess in Sarah Ferguson. The couple married at Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986 with a wedding party that included a four-year-old Prince William as pageboy. Sarah's embroidered ivory silk gown by Lindka Cierach included a 17ft train was emblazoned with the letter 'A', as well as Sarah's personal coat of arms. TO SEE SARAH FERGUSON AND PRINCE ANDREW'S FULL WEDDING ALBUM, CLICK HERE
SOPHIE, THE COUNTESS OF WESSEX AND PRINCE EDWARD In 1999, Queen Elizabeth's youngest son married PR consultant Sophie Rhys-Jones at St George's Chapel in Windsor. The chapel has been the site of a number of royal occasions, including Prince Charles and Camilla's wedding blessing, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials. Photo: Getty Images
Sophie wore a pearl cross and matching earrings and an Asprey and Garrard tiara from her new mother-in-law the Queen's private collection. TO SEE EDWARD AND SOPHIE'S FULL WEDDING ALBUM, CLICK HERE
PRINCESS ANNE AND MARK PHILLIPS Queen Elizabeth II's only daughter Princess Anne married Captain Mark Phillips on November 14, 1973 wearing a bell-sleeved medieval style gown and her mother's wedding tiara, the Queen Mary Fringe. Here the royal bride and her new husband wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace with the royal family following their Westminster Abbey wedding. Young Prince Edward is seen far left, while Prince Charles is with bridesmaid Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Princess Margaret. Queen Elizabeth II is in blue alongside Prince Andrew and Prince Philip, far right. Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
Proud mother-of-the-bride Queen Elizabeth II gave the couple Gloucestershire estate Gatcombe Park as a wedding gift. Here, the official wedding portrait. The impressive roster of royal guests included Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, King Constantine II of Greece, King Juan Carlos I of Spain and King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway. Princess Anne and Captain Phillips, who went on to have two children – Peter Phillips in 1977 and Zara Phillips in 1981 – eventually divorced in 1992. The Princess Royal re-married second husband Sir Timothy Laurence in low-key style later that year. Photo: Getty Images
ZARA PHILLIPS AND MIKE TINDALL Three months after the Queen's grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton wed, the monarch's granddaughter walked down the aisle at Canongate Kirk on Edinburgh's Royal Mile. Zara was beautiful in a ivory silk dress fashioned by a Queen Elizabeth II favourite Stewart Parvin, and she topped off her outfit with the Greek 'Key' tiara, once owned Prince Philip's mother Princess Alice, and lent to Zara by mother Princess Anne.
AUTUMN KELLY AND PETER PHILLIPS Peter Phillips became the first of Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren to wed when he married Canadian management consultant Autumn Kelly on May 17, 2008. The royal wedding, attended by the royal family and held at St George's Chapel, was covered exclusively by HELLO! magazine in a spectacular 100-page special. Autumn's wedding dress was created by British designer Sassi Holford. Photo: Getty Images
Three hundred guests – including Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh – attended the nuptials at St George's Church, with around 70 members of Autumn’s family jetting in from her home country of Canada.
LADY SARAH CHATTO AND DANIEL CHATTO While Kate Middleton famously had her solitary bridesmaid, sister Pippa Middleton, wear white, she wasn't the first royal bride to do so. As she wed Daniel Chatto in London on July 14, 1994, Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Sarah Armstong-Jones opted for bridemaids wearing ivory gowns not unlike her own. Photo: Getty Images
The bride wore a white silk georgette long-sleeved gown designed by Jasper Conran. She wore the Snowdon tiara, created from jewels her father Lord Snowdon had given her mother, adding greenery for a romantic summery effect. Photo: Getty Images
PRINCESS MARGARET AND LORD SNOWDON When Queen Elizabeth II's youngers sister tied the knot with the Earl of Snowdon, Antony Armstrong-Jones on May 6, 1960 at Westminster Abbey, she wore a princess gown designed by royal couturier Norman Hartnell. Topping the outfit was the regal 19th century Poltimore Tiara from Garrard, which Margaret purchased herself at auction. Photo: Getty Images
QUEEN ELIZABETH II AND PRINCE PHILIP Then-Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King George VI, and Greek royal Prince Philip became husband and wife at London's Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947. The bride was wearing an embroidered dress by Norman Hartnell; since the wedding occurred during Britain's post World War II austerity measures, Elizabeth famously saved up ration coupons to purchase the material needed to make her gown. Photo: Getty Images
The newlyweds and their bridal party are seen here during the traditional balcony wave from Buckingham Palace after the ceremony. Left to right: Princess Margaret, Margaret Elphinstone, Diana Bowes-Lyon, Lady Caroline Montagu Douglas-Scott, Lady Elizabeth Lambert, best man the Marquess of Milford Haven, the bride and groom, Lady Mary Cambridge and Lady Pamela Mountbatten. Bridesmaid Lady Pamela would later tell the Telegraph: “Princess Elizabeth with her marvellous complexion and Prince Philip such a devastatingly handsome naval officer. He looked tender, she was adoring. They really were a dream couple." TO SEE THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP'S FULL WEDDING ALBUM, CLICK HERE
