Royal Insight Forum

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/sp...pictures_02.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/special_report/1999/06/99/royal_wedding/slideshow/day_pictures_02.stm)

Looking back at the wedding of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth ? Royal Central (http://royalcentral.co.uk/blogs/looking-back-at-the-wedding-of-king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth-80990)

QuoteThe future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth married on 26 April 1923 in Westminster Abbey. Prince Albert, Duke of York, was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary, while Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne.

They initially met as children before a dance in 1920 brought them together again as adults. Elizabeth was famously reluctant to accept Albert?s offer of marriage and refused him twice. Undeterred, the Duke proposed a third time in mid-January 1923 at St Paul?s Walden Bury in Hertfordshire, the country estate of the Bowes-Lyons. With his offer finally accepted, the engagement was officially announced on 15 January, and preparations for the wedding were soon underway. Elizabeth received a sapphire and diamond engagement ring, which she later swapped for a pearl and diamond one in the 1950s.

In mid-March, the fianc?s travelled to Edinburgh to visit the factory of McVitie & Price, where the main wedding cake, decorated with the coats of arms of the bride and groom in sugar paste, was being made.

Bertie was the first of George and May's sons to be married and they were very pleased with his choice. You can tell from their reported remarks, letters etc.  It really was a new start for the BRF after the War.

At the last moment Lady Elizabeth forgot her gloves and long afterwards fashionable brides dispensed with them in imitation.

Elizabeth's dressmaker did a superb job. Wonderful workmanship. However I'm not in love with the rather shapeless fashions of the early 1920s, still less with the across-the-brow bathing cap shape of headdresses of the time, including Elizabeth's.

Royal Weddings: the Wedding of the Earl and Countess of Wessex ? Royal Central (http://royalcentral.co.uk/blogs/royal-weddings-the-wedding-of-the-earl-and-countess-of-wessex-97179)

QuoteThe last major Windsor wedding of the 20th century became something of a turning point for the Queen and her family. It wasn?t just that this royal celebration was more informal and more relaxed than the spectacular ceremonial of previous royal marriages. The wedding of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, on June 19th 1999, seemed to mark a change in direction following a tumultuous decade that had at times seemed to cast a long shadow over the House of Windsor itself.

Much of the royal romance of Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis and Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones had been played out against the backdrop of that turbulence. The couple?s relationship began in 1993, at the height of the very public fallout of the end of the marriages of Edward?s brothers. Romance blossomed after Edward attended a real tennis event that Sophie, a PR expert, was working at.

The article stated: The Queen lent Sophie a diamond tiara for the wedding.   
Is this statement correct? Does Sophie still have this tiara in her possession? Has she worn it at other royal functions?

If you mean that cobbled together thing that Sophie wore on her head for her wedding, it supposedly was made by Garrards the then Royal jewellers from pieces of a diamond headdress once worn by Queen Victoria and other bits and bobs lying about in the vaults, though there was never any official announcement from BP that I can remember that referred to the origins of the piece. It matched the equally hideous necklace Sophie wore that was designed by Edward, that has hardly been seen together from that day to this.

I suppose that technically that tiara still belongs to the Queen but it appears to be more a lifetime loan than anything else, as Sophie has worn it on several occasions through the years, usually when she and Ed went to weddings of overseas royals. It was the one and only tiara Sophie had access to for years until she won the trust and liking of the Queen and she suddenly appeared in an aquamarine tiara overseas, and since then another aquamarine tiara has made an appearance, again worn at an overseas get together.

It's not quite clear what will happen when the Queen passes with regard to tiaras worn by the Wessexes. The Queen may leave the cobbled together piece to Sophie and maybe some smaller minor pieces of personal jewellery as well. However the Wessexes will be so far down the totem pole by the next reign that Sophie's not likely, IMO, to be left any other tiara, though I suppose if they continue the overseas visits to weddings, christenings, birthdays etc, cobbledy will be needed.

I doubt the couple will be appearing at many State banquets in the future (where a tiara will definitely be needed,) and later on, as James and Louise will be Duke's son and daughter only, when, after her wedding day is Louise likely to be wearing a tiara? If she needs one for William's Coronation she can borrow one, I suppose.

QuoteIf you mean that cobbled together thing that Sophie wore on her head for her wedding, it supposedly was made by Garrards the then Royal jewellers

Oh how embarrassing for Garrads to be associated with that terrible tiara.  :blink: I'm sure that they did the best that they could, but it's really awful. I'm glad for Sophie that she has at least two others that she can use now.

I'm now convinced that if Meghan is not gifted a tiara similar to the one that Sarah received then,  the BRF should loan Meghan the Papyrus Tiara for her lifetime. It's a classic design that would be very versatile and would work for so many occasions IMHO.

As I was lurking elsewhere today, reading this and that, I came upon the following statement issued by BP on the day on the Wessexes' wedding. I think it states very clearly that Louise and James have no HRHs and were never intended to have them.


Title of HRH The Prince Edward

The Queen has today been pleased to confer an Earldom on The Prince Edward. His titles will be Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn. The Prince Edward thus becomes His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex and Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex.

The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales have also agreed that The Prince Edward should be given the Dukedom of Edinburgh in due course, when the present title now held by Prince Philip eventually reverts to the Crown.

The Queen has also decided, with the agreement of The Prince Edward and Miss Rhys-Jones, that any children they might have should not be given the style His or Her Royal Highness, but would have courtesy titles as sons or daughters of an Earl.

^^^Which I believe did have something to do with the fact that at the time the couple planned on having careers and would only perform the occasional royal duty. Fast forward about two years and after the failure of Ardent and post-Fake Sheikh, the Wessexes were on the full time roster.

That's true, TLLK. However, with the way public perceptions of the RF are now, nearly twenty years later, among  many sections of the British public, the Wessexes may be quite relieved that decision was made. After all, being HRHs has been no advantage at all to the York sisters in terms of publicity. The Wessex family knows that they are relatives of the monarch, and I'm sure that's enough.

I think as long as they got Sophi'es debts paid by the queen as I believe happened..they don't care about the children having titles. 

The wedding ceremony in Westminster Abbey for the marriage of Prince Albert to Lady Elizabeth 
The wedding ceremony in Westminster Abbey on 26 April 1923 for the Stock Photo: 169318485 - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-the-wedding-ceremony-in-westminster-abbey-on-26-april-1923-for-the-169318485.html)

Today a lady and I were discussing the 1999 wedding of Prince Edward to Sophie Rhys-Jones.   
The lady wondered if there was a specific reason they did not have their wedding at Westminster Abbey?

I looked it up and I can't find a good reason.  :unsure:

It was a quieter samller wedding because the RF had been having PR problems in the wake of the scandals of the 90s...

@amabel-I definitely agree that any plans for Edward and Sophie to marry at WA like his sister and Andrew were put on hold after the mid-nineties. The couple will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on June 19, 2019. The Wessexes will be the only couple among QEII and the DoE's children to reach this milestone with their first partner. However the Princess Royal and Cmdr Timothy Laurence have now been married for 26 years. :happy:

Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones's royal wedding: All the photos | HELLO! (https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/gallery/2018070269213/royal-weddings-prince-edward-sophie-countess-of-wessex/2/)

Quote from: TLLK on May 24, 2019, 01:27:59 PM
@amabel-I definitely agree that any plans for Edward and Sophie to marry at WA like his sister and Andrew were put on hold after the mid-nineties. The couple will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on June 19, 2019. The Wessexes will be the only couple among QEII and the DoE's children to reach this milestone with their first partner. However the Princess Royal and Cmdr Timothy Laurence have now been married for 26 years. :happy:

Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones's royal wedding: All the photos | HELLO! (https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/gallery/2018070269213/royal-weddings-prince-edward-sophie-countess-of-wessex/2/)

I think that it is now however becoming a trend for more and more royals to marry in a smaller church, outside London.  it was highly unusual at the time for Ed and Sophie.. but now while William married at W Abbey, harry married at Windsor, so did Eugenie.. Perhaps because of security needs (terrorist threats) and a paring of expenditure nad "grandeur", the RF wll now, mostly go for a smaller wedding outside the capital

Did the demise of his sister-in-law Princess Diana have any factor in Edward deciding not to be married at Westminster Abbey?

^^^Yes Diana's death and the public reaction to it was likely a reason to have a smaller and more family oriented service at SGC.

Quote from: TLLK on May 24, 2019, 10:58:35 PM
^^^Yes Diana's death and the public reaction to it was likely a reason to have a smaller and more family oriented service at SGC.

I think it was a lot to do with that..and   that was partly why Ed's children were also not going to use HRH.. it was a general "slimming down" of grandeur and expense, on the part of the RF.. but now it seems like it is becoming a trend.  Will and K married in Londn but he's the future King.  Harry married at Windsor, even though Im sure 10 year earlier it would have been expected for someone of his level in the RF to have a London wedding...

I think that another reason they chose St. George's may be that the family think of it as their home church.  Family members are buried in the church itself and at nearby Frogmore, and it is the venue for lots of family events (both happy and sad). It must be so comforting to them.

Quote from: Princess Cassandra on May 28, 2019, 01:10:48 PM
I think that another reason they chose St. George's may be that the family think of it as their home church.  Family members are buried in the church itself and at nearby Frogmore, and it is the venue for lots of family events (both happy and sad). It must be so comforting to them.

Not sure about that.  Previously senior royals married in London, IIRC more minor ones like the Dukes of Gloucester and kent didn't.. THey married in local churches

But the senior ones had big weddings in London.  Now, the trend seems to be to go outside London, to Windsor.. partly because of security reasons and to try and minimise the inconvenience to Londoners.. and partly I feel because there is an increasing feeling that a Royal wedding isn't a big spectacle that interests the public any more.   It may be an inevitable development, but I feel a bit uneasy that if the RF aren't "giving us a show" from time to time with their weddings, they are becoming less important.  I think that the RF perceive that the public just are not as interested as they used to be in watching weddings..or that they tend to perceive the "bad side" of them more than the enjoyment of watching them.. (ie costs and security problems) and so they keep tehm smaller and not in the capital..

@amabel-Yes in this day and age security costs to protect the royals and members of the public are an ongoing concern. Limiting these types of family events to Windsor does keep the crowd size smaller when compared to London.

Likely the next big events to be held at WA which would require a massive security operation would be funerals and coronations. I don't expect another royal wedding to be held there for two or three decades.

---

Double post auto-merged: May 28, 2019, 01:52:15 PM

---

QuoteI think that another reason they chose St. George's may be that the family think of it as their home church.  Family members are buried in the church itself and at nearby Frogmore, and it is the venue for lots of family events (both happy and sad). It must be so comforting to them.

Another popular royal wedding venue was the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace. It was the site for the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and many of their descendants including Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

Royal Wedding: British royal weddings since 1840 - Los Angeles Times (https://www.latimes.com/visuals/photography/la-me-royal-wedding-previous-royal-weddings-since-1840-htmlstory.html)

I can't help thinking @TLLK that it is a rather depressing development.  Of course there are security issues, but I think it is a sign that the RF now is moving towards a  MUCH quieter lifestyle.. because the public no longer seem to want it to provide a spectacle, as used to be the case.  Harry is the son of a future King..and yet he ended up in a wedding at Windsor.. which I thought was unlikely... .

I know what you mean @amabel but considering the terror attacks ie Manchester and London that had happened in the UK prior to his 2018 wedding,  the safety for the public had to be considered as well. IMHO security and the costs associated with it were the main reasons that Harry and Meghan had a Windsor wedding rather than a WA one.

Certtainly It was part of the reason....and of course there is also the issue of the queen and Philip beng older now and I think they now spend less time in London, so Windsor is a better place for them to be situated prior to the various weddings.  But I cant help wondering does it mean that as you say the RF wont be "giving the public a big spectacle" all that often from now on?   Eugenie was the first princess to marry in over 40 years and it was a moderate sized wedding at Windsor and I don't think ti was all that popular iwht the British public...

Do you think that St. Stephen Walbrook Church might be used for a royal wedding? The church was the venue for the wedding of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones and Daniel Chatto.

Prince Albert, Duke of York was the first royal groom to wed in the dress uniform of the newest branch of the armed services, the Royal Air Force.

British Royal Weddings 1980's-1990's


Royal Wedding Rewind: The Earl of Wessex and Sophie Rhys-Jones ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/royal-wedding-rewind-the-earl-of-wessex-and-sophie-rhys-jones-144574/)

Royal Wedding Rewind: Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/royal-wedding-rewind-prince-andrew-and-sarah-ferguson-145798/)

Forty years on: the royal fairytale wedding that missed its happy ending ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/royal-wedding-rewind-the-prince-of-wales-and-lady-diana-spencer-144889/) Information on the wedding of the PoW and Lady Diana Spencer.

British Royal Weddings 1960's-1970's

Royal Wedding Rewind: Prince Michael of Kent and Marie Christine von Reibnitz ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/kent/royal-wedding-rewind-prince-michael-of-kent-and-marie-christine-von-reibnitz-144943/)

The royal wedding and royal tragedy that changed a bride?s life forever ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/royal-wedding-rewind-the-duke-and-duchess-of-gloucester-2-144896/)-The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Royal Wedding Rewind: Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/royal-wedding-rewind-princess-anne-and-captain-mark-phillips-151606/)

Royal Wedding Rewind: the Duke and Duchess of Kent ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/kent/royal-wedding-rewind-the-duke-and-duchess-of-kent-144121/)

British Royal Weddings 1900-1950


Royal Wedding Rewind: the duchess who refused to wear white for her wedding ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/uk/royal-wedding-rewind-the-duchess-who-refused-to-wear-white-for-her-wedding-151876/)

Royal Wedding Rewind: George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/royal-wedding-rewind-george-duke-of-kent-and-princess-marina-of-greece-153073/)


Royal Wedding Rewind: George VI and Elizabeth ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/royal-wedding-rewind-george-vi-and-elizabeth-141313/)

Princess Victoria Patricia of Connaught married Alexander Ramsay at Westminster Abbey on February 27, 1919. There had not been a royal wedding at Westminster Abbey for several centuries.

Sophie Rhys-Jones' father held the bridal bouquet.   
Sophie Rhys Jones wedding dress, 1999 | Royal wedding gowns, Royal brides, Royal wedding dress (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/118782508898544745)

In The Queen Mother Lady Colin Campbell wrote:   
All of Cecilia, Countess of Strathmore's plans and her requests for her daughter Lady Elizabeth's wedding would have to pass through the hands of the King and Queen. Thereafter, Cecilia liaised with the Palace, sending endless requests for additional guests to be added to her list. The wedding would be significantly smaller than Princess Mary's 1922 wedding had been.

Princess Mary, the daughter of King George V and Queen Mary of England, married Henry Lascelles, Viscount Lascelles at Westminster Abbey on February 28, 1922.             
 

The 1934 wedding of Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on the radio.

Here's a little history on the wedding of one of the BRF's most glamorous couples of the 20th century. You can spot a young Princess Elizabeth of York as one of Princess Marina's bridesmaids. There was also another future queen in their wedding party as the NL's Princess Juliana was an attendant too.

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Wedding Wednesday: Princess Marina's Gown (http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2012/10/wedding-wednesday-princess-marinas-gown.html)

In 1963 Queen Elizabeth II hosted a Wedding Ball for Princess Alexandra of Kent and Angus Ogilvy at Windsor Castle.     
Wedding Ball of Princess Alexandra and the Hon. Angus Ogilvy, 1963 | The Royal Watcher (http://www.royalwatcherblog.com/2018/04/23/princess-alexandras-prewedding-ball)

Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife wed Prince Arthur of Connaught at the Chapel Royal of St. James' Palace on October 15, 1913.     
Prince Arthur Of Connaught's Wedding To Duchess Of Fife (1914-1918) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KKBFkfjUrs)

On July 14, 1994 Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones married Daniel Chatto at St. Stephen's Walbrook Church in London.   

At York Minster on June 8, 1961 Prince Edward, Duke of Kent married Katharine Worsley.     
The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, York Minster, 1961. Artist: Unknown Stock Photo - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/the-wedding-of-the-duke-and-duchess-of-kent-york-minster-image262761485.html)

Prince Edward and Miss Katharine Worsley's wedding in York Minster was the first royal wedding to take place there for over six hundred years when King Edward III had married Philippa of Hainault in 1328.

1922 Daily Sketch front page reporting Princess Mary's bridal gown     
1922 Daily Sketch front page reporting Princess Mary's Bridal Gown Royal Wedding to Viscount Lascelles Stock Photo - Alamy (http://www.alamy.com/1922-daily-sketch-reporting-princess-marys-bridal-gown-image257326628.html)

There are photos of Mary, the bride, around. Was this article from before or after the wedding. Because if it was before a sketch artist had managed to get into the fashion House with pad and pencil!

The fashions of the very early 1920s were so baggy and shapeless. They often seem to have been multi-layered as well. Awful! God help you if you were short and dumpy.

Here's a spotlight on the royal wedding dresses designed by Norman Hartwell for Princess Alice -The Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Elizabeth -QEII, Princess Margaret and Princess Beatrice of York. Personally I truly like all of them for their unique designs and originality ie PssA's pink wedding gown. Also I appreciate the ingenuity  as Hartwell definitely faced challenges with the Queen's gown considering that it was extremely difficult to find enough fabric. Margaret's dramatic tulle skirt and tight bodice was wonderful. I still find it so sentimentally sweet that Beatrice wore one of her grandmother's gowns as her wedding dress in 2021.

The royal wedding dresses created by Sir Norman Hartnell ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/the-royal-wedding-dresses-created-by-sir-norman-hartnell-2-183065/)

QuoteHe created some of the most famous royal looks of the 20th century and he?s still producing talked about style picks. Sir Norman Hartnell was already a sought after wedding dress designer when he was first commissioned to produce a bridal outfit by the House of Windsor. Over eight decades on, and long after his own death, he was responsible for another famous royal marriage look. On the 85th anniversary of Sir Norman?s first foray into the world of royal wedding gowns, we look back at the dazzling dresses he created for Windsor brides.

Hartnell was certainly a great friend of the QM. Apparently Prss Margaret wanted to follow her own path but most of her dresses as a very young woman are by Hartnell. I remember reading about the making of the Queen?s wedding gown (and later her Coronation gown.) Even in 1953 some materials were in short supply. Poor England, the Austerity Years certainly weren?t fun!

(https://images.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/brides/20221031155636/sophie-wessex-dazzling-second-wedding-dress-prince-edward-resurfaced-photo/0-756-883/sophie-edward-wedding-reception-z.jpg)

Sophie Wessex's never-before-seen second wedding dress revealed in resurfaced photo | HELLO! (https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/20221031155636/sophie-wessex-dazzling-second-wedding-dress-prince-edward-resurfaced-photo/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_royal_life_04_11_2022&utm_term=the_royal_life)

Kate Middleton and Prince William's prestigious wedding honour that other royals weren't allowed | HELLO! (https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/20221108156408/kate-middleton-prince-william-wedding-honour-other-royals-werent-allowed/)
When Prince William and Princess Catherine got married in April 29,2011 they chosen red carpet follow his parents Prince Charles and late Diana,Princess of Wales?s nuptial 1981 wedding and also late Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh?s 1947 wedding but Eugenie?s nuptial wedding in 2018 blue carpet follow her parents?s wedding Harry and Meghan?s 2018 wedding and also Princess Anne?s 1973 wedding

The late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's 75th anniversary was yesterday Nov. 20th.

The simple present Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip gave to their wedding guests ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/the-simple-present-queen-elizabeth-ii-and-prince-philip-gave-to-their-wedding-guests-183009/)

QuoteHowever, heather was something of a theme at this royal wedding. The guests would all be given a wedding favour consisting of a sprig of white heather tied with silver ribbon. It was a rather simple memento of a very historic day.

Quote from: TLLK on November 21, 2022, 01:24:14 PM
The late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's 75th anniversary was yesterday Nov. 20th.

The simple present Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip gave to their wedding guests ? Royal Central (https://royalcentral.co.uk/features/the-simple-present-queen-elizabeth-ii-and-prince-philip-gave-to-their-wedding-guests-183009/)

Where was the heather that provided the sprigs of heather for the wedding?

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on November 21, 2022, 11:07:35 PM
     
Where was the heather that provided the sprigs of heather for the wedding?

Probably from the Balmoral estate. Though I have to say, that they took a chance. Like most wild flowers and plants, heather isn?t very long lasting once it?s plucked from the ground. It tends to lose its colour quickly and become twig-like.

@Curryong- I agree. It's tempting to add native plants into bouquets ie: Mary Donaldson's bouquet featured Eucalyptus from her native Australia, but these are plants that are not meant to bloom for very long.

QuoteCROWN PRINCESS MARY OF DENMARK Tasmanian-born Crown Princess Mary's bouquet as she wed Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark was a dramatic cascade which featured antique roses, stephanotis, azaleas, spirea and, last but not least, eucalyptus flown in from Australia especially for the occasion, a nod to the bride's heritage. Photo: Getty Images

More details on Princess Elizabeth's wedding bouquet.

QuoteQueen Elizabeth II (1947)
Queen Elizabeth II had a beautiful bridal bouquet made from three types of British-grown orchids: white cattleya, odontoglossum and cypripedium. The striking, free-flowing floral arrangement was especially spectacular amidst the post-war period of austerity, where small, modest bouquets were the norm

Yes that?s right. Actually eucalyptus is very unusual to have in a wedding bouquet. In fact I?ve never heard of it before. It?s a bit smelly.

I do think that the then Princess Elizabeth?s bouquet was spectacular. The flowers chosen were gorgeous. The whole wedding must have been a bright light in the gloom of austerity Britain.

Did Princess Marina of Greece and Prince George, Duke of Kent have a Greek Orthodox service that preceded the wedding at Westminster Abbey?

Today is the 100th wedding anniversary for the late George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother). The Daily Mail has a look back on the day accompanied by some excellent photographs.

Inside the wedding of King George VI and the Queen Mother after she rejected two of his proposals | Daily Mail Online (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11884919/Inside-wedding-King-George-VI-Queen-Mother-rejected-two-proposals.html)

From Royal Musings

Royal Musings: 100 years ago today: the wedding of the Duke of York & Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2013/04/90-years-ago-today-wedding-of-duke-of.html)

The wedding of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and Prince Albert (1923) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeMwF46lji0&t=25s)

On the wedding day of Prince Henry and Princess Alice, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the wedding cake could not be cut. The icing was too hard.

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on July 18, 2023, 10:44:49 PM
On the wedding day of Prince Henry and Princess Alice, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the wedding cake could not be cut. The icing was too hard.

I think, if I?m not mistaken, that they married in the middle of a very cold winter. It was not a particularly joyous occasion. Both fathers of the bride and the groom were desperately ill before, during and after it. I can?t remember whether Alice?s father died before the ceremony or afterwards, but he was certainly dead by the end of 1935 and George V in the following January. The gloom was probably matched by the cold within BP. The Palace has always been notoriously difficult to warm and the RF are very fond of fresh air, so no wonder the icing froze!

Also I would imagine that this was the traditional fruitcake which is very dense and that would have added to the problem.

The Duchess of Gloucester?s wedding dress was unusual in that it was a very pale pink. I know that because that shade of palest pink became almost instantly fashionable for British brides and my aunt, who married in the late 1930?s, had her wedding gown made the same.

The Royal Bride Who Wore Pink | Vogue (https://www.vogue.com/article/the-royal-bride-who-wore-pink-princess-alice-duchess-of-gloucester)

It was said later that Alice, who was about 34 when she married, wanted something a bit more flattering to her skin tones than stark white, and designer Norman Hartnell obliged. Apparently George V (at that time very ill) had a say about the bridesmaids? outfits as he stated he wanted granddaughters Elizabeth and Margaret of York, who were two of them, to look ?pretty and girly?, so Hartnell put them in pale pink organza to match the bride.

Quote from: LouisFerdinand on February 10, 2022, 08:10:34 PM
The 1934 wedding of Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on the radio.