Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding outfits are set to go on display at Windsor Castle.
The Princess’s wedding dress and Jack Brooksbank’s morning suit will be available for people to view in an exhibition organised by Royal Collection Trust.
The display will also feature Her Royal Highness’s tiara and evening gown, as well as the maid of honour outfit of Her Royal Highness, Princess Beatrice of York.
The Design
Designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos created The Princess’s dress. The design of the dress features a neckline which folds around the shoulders and a flowing full-length train.
Princess Eugenie has also recorded some audio for visitors to the exhibition which explains how she wanted a low back to the dress in order to show the scar from surgery she underwent aged 12 to correct scoliosis.
“I had always wanted a low back, part of it was showing my scar. I believe scars tell a story about your past and your future and it’s a way of getting rid of a taboo,” – Princess Eugenie said.
“For me it’s a way of communicating with people who are going through either similar situations with scoliosis or having a scar of their own they are trying to deal with.”
The fabric of the dress, also designed by Mr Pilotto and Mr de Vos, includes a number of symbols that are meaningful to Princess Eugenie, such as the White Rose of York, interwoven with ivy.
Mr Jack Brooksbank’s wedding outfit was a black and grey morning suit with a vivid blue waistcoat, made by tailors at Huntsman of Savile Row, London.
Jack Brooksbank’s outfit
Jack Brooksbank’s wedding outfit was a black and grey morning suit with a vivid blue waistcoat, made by tailors at Huntsman of Savile Row, London.
Jewellery
Her Royal Highness wore the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, which was lent to her by Her Majesty The Queen.
On public display for the first time, the tiara is made of brilliant and rose-cut diamonds pavé set in platinum, with six emeralds on either side.
It was made for Mrs Greville in 1919 by the Parisian jewellery house Boucheron in the fashionable ‘kokoshnik’ style popularised in the Russian Imperial Court. Mrs Greville bequeathed the tiara to Queen Elizabeth, consort of King George VI, in 1942.
The flowers
A replica of Her Royal Highness’s bridal bouquet, made from artificial flowers, has been created for the exhibition.
Designed by Rob Van Helden Floral Design, the bouquet consisted of lily of the valley, stephanotis pips, baby-blue thistles, white spray roses, trailing ivy and sprigs of myrtle from Osborne House.
The myrtle bush at Osborne grew from a piece in the posy given to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert’s grandmother the year that the royal couple bought the house on the Isle of Wight as a family retreat.
A sprig from the shrub was carried in the bridal bouquet of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, at her wedding in 1858, and the tradition has been continued by royal brides ever since.
The evening gown
Princess Eugenie’s evening gown was created by designer Zac Posen.
Mr Posen said he took inspiration from the beauty of Windsor Castle and the surrounding countryside, and chose a fabric in the blush colour of an English rose.
The gown is made of British silk chiffon and incorporates a cape, subtly embroidered with the White Rose of York, gathered at the lower back and draping into a softly pleated full-length train.
Also on display are two diamond wheat-ear brooches, lent to Her Royal Highness by Her Majesty The Queen and worn by the Princess as hair slides at the evening reception.
On public display for the first time, the brooches were originally commissioned by William IV (1765–1837) for Queen Adelaide (1792–1849) and were inherited by Her Majesty in 1952. The Queen has worn them as both hair slides and brooches.
Princess Beatrice
As maid of honour, Princess Beatrice wore a blue dress with an asymmetrical neckline by the London-based couture house Ralph & Russo, and a blue and purple headpiece by British milliner Sarah Cant.
Bridesmaids and Pageboys
The outfits were by the London-based children’s designer Amaia Kids. The pattern on their sashes was based on a work by the American artist Mark Bradford, which was also reproduced on the Order of Service.
Find out more about the history of Royal Wedding dresses here and Royal Collection Trust here.
