Was Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana or Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress More Expensive? Comparing Their Iconic Gowns
Was Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana or Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress More Expensive? Comparing Their Iconic Gowns
Ariana QuihuizSat, March 14, 2026 at 2:30 PM UTC
0
Princess Elizabeth; Princess Diana; Kate Middleton wedding dressesCredit: CENTRAL PRESS/AFP via Getty; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty; Anwar Hussein/Getty
Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton wore some of the most popular wedding dresses in royal history.
When the Queen married Prince Philip in November 1947, she wore a silk and satin gown designed by Norman Hartnell. The intricate dress was paired with ivory Duchesse satin heels by Edward Rayne, two pearl necklaces and Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara.
Meanwhile, Princess Diana opted for an ‘80s-inspired wedding dress for her nuptials to now- King Charles in July 1981. The highlight of her silk taffeta gown by Elizabeth and David Emanuel was the 25-foot train. She accentuated the dramatic train with a long veil and the Spencer Tiara.
For her wedding to Prince William in April 2011, Kate Middleton chose a white lace wedding dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. With such intricate embellishments on the dress, she kept her accessories simple with a white tulle veil and the Cartier Halo Tiara.
All three royal wedding dresses were kept a secret from the public before the big days; Diana even used the code name Deborah Cornwall during the making of her gown. However, the estimated price tags have become public knowledge over the years.
So, whose royal wedding dress was the most expensive? Here’s everything to know about Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton’s wedding gowns.
How much did Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress cost?
The wedding dress for Princess ElizabethCredit: Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty
Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress was made by British designer Hartnell and took just seven weeks to create. The ivory silk and satin gown featured a 15-foot silk tulle train that attached at the shoulders and a floral bodice that was encrusted with seed pearls and diamanté crystals.
The Queen’s 1947 wedding to Prince Philip was one of the first major celebrations since the end of World War II. Since wartime rationing was still in effect, her wedding gown was partially paid for with rationing coupons. Many British women also sent their clothing coupons to Buckingham Palace to assist with the cost, but they were later returned.
The total cost of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress was estimated to be $42,000 at the time, which would be about $1.6 million today, according to Brides.
How much did Princess Diana’s wedding dress cost?
The Princess of Wales in her bridal gown at Buckingham PalaceCredit: PA Images via Getty
Princess Diana’s ivory ball gown was designed by Elizabeth and David. The silk taffeta gown — which had to be specially woven and dyed ivory — featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves and a voluminous skirt.
However, the defining detail of Diana’s wedding dress was the 25-foot train, which broke the record for the longest train in royal wedding history. It even had to be “folded like a bedsheet” to fit inside the horse-drawn carriage that transported her to St. Paul's Cathedral.
David told E! News in June 2017 that he suggested the long train, which was hand-embroidered with sequins and pearls. "Halfway through, we realized, 'We're not going to finish this,' " he said. "Behind the scenes we're thinking, 'Maybe we've bitten off too much ... keep sewing!' "
Advertisement
The gown also included two hidden details: a blue bow inside the bodice and an 18-carat gold horseshoe trinket studded with white diamonds.
Diana’s gown was kept under wraps leading up to the wedding. Elizabeth and David had two security guards patrolling where the dress was being made and had Diana use the code name Deborah Cornwall when calling or talking about the gown.
The Princess of Wales’ wedding dress was estimated to cost $114,800 at the time, which would be equivalent to about $448,500 today, per WWD.
How much did Kate Middleton’s wedding dress cost?
Catherine Middleton arrives to attend her Royal Wedding to Prince WilliamCredit: Samir Hussein/WireImage
Kate Middleton’s white v-neck gown was designed by Burton for McQueen, which, like Diana’s, was kept a secret until her wedding day.
"We had net curtains up and cleaners were not allowed into the room and the code on the door was changed,” Mandy Ewing, who was on the dress-making team, revealed in 2017. “The dress was all in the news, but nobody knew who was doing it."
French Chantilly lace and English Cluny lace were used throughout the dress, while the back was lined with 58 gazar- and organza-covered buttons. It featured several plant motifs — including a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock — which were hand-cut from lace and hand-appliquéd onto ivory silk tulle to represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Burton also used white satin gazar arches and pleats to make the skirt resemble the opening of a flower, which then flowed into a 9-foot train.
When Kate’s dress went on display at Buckingham Palace in July 2011, it broke the record for viewership with more than 600,000 people showing up to see it.
Kate’s wedding dress was estimated to cost $434,000 in 2011, which would be equivalent to $617,000 today, per Brides.
Which royal bride had the most expensive wedding dress?
Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II with her husband PhillipCredit: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty
While all three royal wedding dresses have increased in value since they were made, Queen Elizabeth’s gown is the most expensive.
Based on the current estimated value, her wedding dress would cost $1.6 million today. Kate’s wedding dress comes in as the second most expensive with an estimated price tag of $617,000. Meanwhile, Princess Diana’s is the least expensive with an estimated cost of $448,500.
Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress cost the most to produce amongst the British royal family, but it isn’t the most expensive in royal history. Queen Letizia of Spain’s ivory silk gown, designed by Manuel Pertegaz, cost $10.7 million to make and holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive royal wedding dress.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
