When Princess Diana walked down the aisle with Prince Charles in 1981, her extravagant wedding gown — designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel — helped solidify her status as a fashion icon.
Crafted from ivory silk taffeta and antique Carrickmacross lace, which had previously belonged to Diana’s great grandmother-in-law, Queen Mary, the Princess of Wales’ fairytale frock featured embroidery, sequins and over 10,000 pearls.
Here, see Princess Diana’s wedding dress then and now.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Bettmann Archive A sketch of Princess Diana’s wedding dress.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: PA Images via Getty Images The Princess of Wales in her bridal gown at Buckingham Palace after her marriage to Prince Charles at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: PA Images via Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales at Buckingham Palace after their wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: PA Images via Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales at Buckingham Palace after their wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images Princess Diana and her father Earl Charles Spencer travel by coach to St Paul’s Cathedral for her wedding to the Prince of Wales.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images Princess Diana and her father Earl Charles Spencer arrive at St Paul’s Cathedral for her wedding to the Prince of Wales.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images Princess Diana and her father Earl Charles Spencer arrive at St Paul’s Cathedral for her wedding to the Prince of Wales.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: WireImage Princess Diana and her father Earl Charles Spencer arrive at St Paul’s Cathedral for her wedding to the Prince of Wales.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: PA Images via Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Get The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales return to Buckingham Palace by carriage after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: WireImage The Prince and Princess of Wales return to Buckingham Palace by carriage after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales return to Buckingham Palace by carriage after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The Prince and Princess of Wales return to Buckingham Palace after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Corbis via Getty Images Princess Diana and Prince Charles wave to onlookers from the balcony at Buckingham Palace just after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Get Princess Diana and Prince Charles on the balcony at Buckingham Palace just after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Get Princess Diana and Prince Charles on the balcony at Buckingham Palace just after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: PA Images via Getty Images Princess Diana and Prince Charles on the balcony at Buckingham Palace just after their wedding.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images The wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales on display at an exhibition entitled “Royal Style in the Making” at Kensington Palace in London in 2021.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images The wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales on display at an exhibition entitled “Royal Style in the Making” at Kensington Palace in London in 2021.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage The wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales on display at an exhibition entitled “Royal Style in the Making” at Kensington Palace in London in 2021.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales on display at an exhibition entitled “Royal Style in the Making” at Kensington Palace in London in 2021.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales on display at an exhibition entitled “Royal Style in the Making” at Kensington Palace in London in 2021.
-
A Look Back at Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress
Image Credit: Getty Images The wedding dress of Diana, Princess of Wales on display at an exhibition entitled “Royal Style in the Making” at Kensington Palace in London in 2021.