Look Back at Royal Weddings of the Past: William and Kate, Charles and Diana and More

Credit: Camden/INFphoto.com; Express Newspapers/Getty Images

Look Back at Royal Weddings of the Past: William and Kate, Charles and Diana and More

The ghosts of royal weddings past! When any member of the royal family weds it becomes a celebration that the entire world has its eyes on. When Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip tied the knot in 1947, the United Kingdom was in the midst of recovering from the aftermath of World War II. Supplies and materials — especially for a wedding dress — were scarce. She saved up her clothing coupons and even received donations from the public to get her dream gown: a Norman Hartnell piece with 10,000 pearls sent from the United States. The couple’s wedding ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey in London and Her Majesty ascended to the throne a few years later. The twosome were married for more than 70 years and shared four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Nearly 40 years later, Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son Prince Charles wed Princess Diana (née Spencer). The event was deemed the "wedding of the century" with more than 750 million people tuning in. The former couple was the first to start the tradition of sharing a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of a crowd. While Charles and Diana were married they welcomed sons Prince William and Prince Harry in 1982 and 1984, respectively. However, the two ultimately divorced in 1996 after 15 years of marriage. Diana was killed in a tragic car crash the following year. [jwplayer 0gUAFueR-zhNYySv2] Charles' sons were the next two royals to tie the knot. Prince William married Duchess Kate in 2011 at Westminster Abbey after dating off and on for years. His younger brother stood by his side as his best man while Kate's sister Pippa Middleton served as her maid of honor. William later returned the favor when Harry and Meghan Markle wed in 2018. However, the Suits alum revealed in March 2021 that she and Harry secretly said their vows in their backyard three days before their televised ceremony. “Three days before our wedding, we got married,” the "Archetypes" podcast host said during the couple’s CBS interview at the time. “We called the Archbishop [of Canterbury, Justin Welby] and we just said, ‘Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world, but we want our union between us.’” The Archbishop also officiated their official ceremony at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Take a trip down memory lane of all the most iconic royal weddings throughout history:

Credit: Benjamin Wheeler/PA Wire/Shutterstock

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

On July 17, 2020, Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a secret and private ceremony at Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England. The small celebration had to be rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Beatrice borrowed a gown from the Queen for her special day.

The couple had a small guest list of 20 people, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi and Nikki Williams-Ellis.

Following their nuptials, the couple welcomed daughter Sienna Elizabeth in September 2021.

Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank tied the knot five months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The longtime loves exchanged vows at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on October 12, 2018, after being together for seven years.

The pair said “I do” in front of more than 800 guests. Eugenie stunned in a long-sleeve Peter Pilotto gown and opted to go without a veil.

In February 2021, the twosome welcomed their first child, son August Philip Hawke.

Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

On May 19, 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed at the St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in front of 600 guests. Most of the royal family was in attendance but Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, was the only one of her family member’s present for the big day.

The former actress donned a stunning Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy long-sleeve wedding dress while Harry wore his military uniform.

Many celebrities were guests at the event as well, including Victoria and David Beckham, George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra and Markle’s former Suits costars, Gabriel Macht, Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman, Sarah Rafferty, Abigail Spencer and Markle’s TV husband Patrick J. Adams.

Prince William served as Harry’s best man while his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, served as a pageboy and a bridesmaid. Prince Louis, who was a newborn at the time, was not in attendance.

Five months after tying the knot, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. Meghan gave birth to her son Archie in May 2019. They later welcomed their daughter Lilibet in June 2021.

Credit: David Parker/ANL/Shutterstock

Prince William and Duchess Kate

Before they were officially the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey after dating on and off since 2003. Kate stunned in a long sleeve, lace Alexander McQueen dress and one of Queen Elizabeth II’s tiaras as they exchanged vows in front of  1,900 guests, including Elton John and David and Victoria Beckham.

Harry served as William’s best man, while Kate’s sister, Pippa Middleton, was her maid of honor. After a carriage ride to Buckingham Palace, the newlyweds were cheered on by adoring citizens as they shared two kisses on the palace balcony. The ceremony was viewed by tens of millions of people around the world, with 23 million U.S. viewers.

The pair have two children: Prince George, 4, Princess Charlotte, 3, and Prince Louis, who was born on April 26, 2018.

Credit: Shutterstock

Prince Charles and Princess Diana

Years before William and Harry were born, Prince Charles and Princess Diana wed on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s cathedral in front of 3,500 guests. Diana, who was only 19 at the time, looked gorgeous in a gown designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel that had such a long train it barely fit in the carriage she rode in to the ceremony.

The duo were the first couple to share kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of the crowd and 750 million people around the world watched their nuptials.

Charles and Diana welcomed William and Harry in 1982 and 1984, respectively, but their marriage ultimately ended in divorce in August 1996. Diana died after a car accident in August 1997 at 36 years old.

Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip exchanged wedding vows on November 20, 1947, in Westminster Abbey. The queen wore a beautiful ivory silk Sir Normal Hartnell gown with 10,000 pearls on it.

Queen Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids, including her younger sister, Princess Margaret, while Prince Phillip’s best man was his cousin, David Mountbatten, the third Marquees of Milford Haven. There were 2,500 guests in attendance, including six kings and seven queens. Their wedding was broadcasted on the radio to millions of listeners.

The couple were married for more than 70 years and share four children: Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. The monarch passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, at age 96. Prince Philip died a year prior on April 9, 2021.