Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen Wedding Dress: A Detailed Look 15 Years On
Fifteen years after Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey in 2011, Vogue revisits the details of her Alexander McQueen wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton. The gown featured a train measuring nearly nine feet, appliquéd with Carrickmacross lace, and a veil embroidered with motifs representing the four UK nations. The dress had 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons, and the bride wore the Cartier Halo tiara, loaned by the Queen. The bouquet included lily-of-the-valley, sweet William, hyacinth, ivy, and myrtle, continuing a royal tradition dating to 1858. The dress was displayed at Buckingham Palace for four months in summer 2011.
Key facts
- Kate Middleton married Prince William on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey.
- The wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton, artistic director of Alexander McQueen.
- The train measured 2 meters 70 centimeters (almost 9 feet).
- The train used Carrickmacross lace-making technique from 19th-century Ireland.
- The veil featured hand-embroidered motifs of rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock.
- The Cartier Halo tiara, loaned by Queen Elizabeth II, has 888 diamonds.
- The bouquet included myrtle, a tradition from 1858.
- The dress was on public display at Buckingham Palace for four months in 2011.
Entities
Artists
- Sarah Burton
- Alexander McQueen
Institutions
- Alexander McQueen
- Vogue
- Buckingham Palace
- Royal School of Needlework
- Cartier
Locations
- Westminster Abbey
- London
- United Kingdom
- Ireland