London Evening Standard/London
Kate Middleton’s wedding dress is to go on public display for 10 weeks this summer at Buckingham Palace — but visitors will have to pay £17.50 to see it.
The dress by Sarah Burton, the creative director at Alexander McQueen, will be the star exhibit during the annual opening of the Palace state rooms.
The Royal Collection is responsible for the display — which will also include William and Kate’s wedding cake — and expects to break records for palace paying visitor numbers.
However, those hoping to see the gown alongside the maid of honour’s dress, also designed by Burton, will be disappointed.
That remains the property of the bride’s sister, Pippa Middleton, and will not be on show. Neither will the dresses of the four bridesmaids or the uniforms worn by the two page boys.
The Royal Collection said the aim was “to focus on the British design and craftsmanship of the duchess’s wedding ensemble”, rather than to create a wedding tableau.
The dress will be shown from July 23 until October 3 in the ballroom, along with Kate’s hand-made bridal shoes, the diamond earrings which were a present from her parents, and the 1936 Cartier halo tiara, lent to Kate for the wedding by the Queen.
The dress is said to epitomise “timeless British craftsmanship” and is made from ivory and white satin gazar. The skirt’s shape echoes an opening flower, while the bodice draws on the Victoria tradition of corsetry. The back was finished with 58 buttons and a 9ft train.
Members of the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace, made the appliqué lace for the bodice and skirt, washing their hands every 30 minutes to keep the material and threads pristine and renewing needles every three hours to keep them sharp and clean.