Wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark
| Wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark | |
|---|---|
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| Artist |
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| Year | 1863 |
The wedding dress of Princess Alexandra of Denmark was the first in British royal history to be photographed while being worn. The gown was made by London dressmaker Mrs James of Belgravia.[1] It's now part of the British Royal Collection. In 2011, the dress was part of a display of royal wedding dresses at Kensington Palace.[2]
Design
The dress was made of white silk satin (the silk was woven at Spitalfields) trimmed with orange blossoms, myrtle and puffs of tulle and Honiton lace. It had a similarly trimmed 21-foot (6.4 m) silver moiré train, which was carried by eight young ladies aged 15 to 20.[3][4][4] The four lace flounces were designed by Miss Tucker and executed by Messrs. John Tucker and Co. of Branscombe, near Sidmouth; a matching lace veil, train trimming and handkerchief were also made. The pattern of the lace depicted cornucopias filled with English roses, Irish shamrocks and Scottish thistles.[4]
Princess Alexandra wore a wreath of orange blossom and myrtle, and carried a bouquet of orange blossoms, white rosebuds, lily of the valley, orchids, and myrtle.[4] Her jewelry consisted of a pearl necklace, earrings and brooch given by the Prince of Wales; an opal and diamond bracelet from Queen Victoria, a diamond bracelet given by the ladies of Leeds; and an opal and diamond bracelet from the ladies of Manchester.[4]
Attendants
The bridesmaids wore white glacé silk dresses trimmed with tulle netting and roses, and wreaths of roses.[5][6]
The bridesmaids were:
- Lady Diana Beauclerk, later Lady Huddleston (1841-1905), wife of Sir John Walter Huddleston; daughter of William Beauclerk, 9th Duke of St Albans.
- Lady Eleanor Cecilia Hare, later Lady Heneage (1845-1924), wife of Edward Heneage, 1st Baron Heneage; daughter of William Hare, 2nd Earl of Listowel.
- Lady Elma Bruce, later Lady Thurlow (1842-1923), wife of the 5th Baron Thurlow; daughter of James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin.
- Lady Feodorowna Cecilia Wellesley, later Viscountess Bertie of Thame (1838-1920), wife of Francis Bertie, 1st Viscount Bertie of Thame; daughter of Henry Wellesley, 1st Earl Cowley.
- Lady Georgiana Susan Hamilton, later Countess Winterton (1841-1913), Wife of Edward Turnour, 5th Earl Winterton; daughter of James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn.
- Lady Agneta Harriet Yorke (1838-1919), later Lady Agneta Montagu, wife of the Hon. Victor Alexander Montagu, son of John Montagu, 7th Earl of Sandwich; daughter of Charles Yorke, 4th Earl of Hardwicke.
- Lady Victoria Margaret Louisa Howard (1844-1906), daughter of Charles Howard, 17th Earl of Suffolk.
- Lady Victoria Alexandrina Montagu Douglas Scott, future Marchioness of Lothian (and later Lady Talbot) (1844-1938), wife firstly of the 9th Marquess of Lothian and later wife of Bertram Chetwynd Talbot (son of John Gilbert Talbot); daughter of the 5th Duke of Buccleuch.[7]
References
- ↑ Alexander, Hilary (22 April 2011). "How will The Dress measure up to history?". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
- ↑ Historic Royal Palaces feature, accessed July 12, 2011
- ↑ "Royal wedding: The lessons and comforts that can be gleaned from previous marriages". The Telegraph. London. 24 April 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 The Gentleman's magazine. F. Jefferies. 1863. p. 506. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ↑ Mark Bills; Vivien Knight, eds. (2006). William Powell Frith: painting the Victorian age. Yale University Press. pp. 122–. ISBN 978-0-300-12190-2.
- ↑ "'The Bridesmaids' by Robert Charles Dudley". National Portrait Gallery.
- ↑ "The bridesmaids of Alexandra of Denmark". National Portrait Gallery.