Wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark |
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| Year | 1863 |
The wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark is a famous piece of royal history. Princess Alexandra later became Queen Alexandra. She wore this special dress for her wedding to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. He later became King Edward VII. The wedding happened on March 10, 1863, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. This dress was the first British royal wedding gown ever to be photographed while being worn. A London dressmaker named Mrs. James of Belgravia created the beautiful gown. Today, you can find the dress in the British Royal Collection. In 2011, it was shown at Kensington Palace as part of a display of royal wedding dresses.
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Designing a Royal Wedding Dress
The wedding dress was made from white silk satin. This silk was woven in Spitalfields, a famous silk-making area. The dress was decorated with pretty orange blossoms and myrtle. It also had soft puffs of tulle and special Honiton lace.
The dress had a very long train, about 21 feet long. This train was made of silver moiré fabric. It was also decorated with the same orange blossoms and myrtle. Eight young ladies, aged 15 to 20, helped carry the long train.
Special Lace Details
The beautiful lace on the dress was a key part of its design. Miss Tucker designed the four lace layers, called flounces. Messrs. John Tucker and Co. of Branscombe made the lace. They also created a matching lace veil, lace for the train, and a handkerchief. The lace pattern was very detailed. It showed cornucopias, which are horn-shaped baskets. These baskets were filled with symbols for the United Kingdom:
- English roses
- Irish shamrocks
- Scottish thistles
Royal Wedding Accessories
Princess Alexandra wore a wreath of orange blossoms and myrtle on her head. She carried a lovely bouquet of flowers. It included orange blossoms, white rosebuds, lily of the valley, orchids, and myrtle.
She also wore several special pieces of jewelry. The Prince of Wales gave her a pearl necklace, earrings, and a brooch. Queen Victoria gave her an opal and diamond bracelet. The ladies of Leeds gave her another diamond bracelet. Finally, the ladies of Manchester gave her an opal and diamond bracelet.
Bridesmaids' Attire
The bridesmaids wore their own elegant dresses. Their gowns were made of white glacé silk. They were decorated with tulle netting and roses. The bridesmaids also wore wreaths of roses in their hair.
See also
- List of individual dresses
