The Prince and Princess of Wales 13th wedding anniversary: Kate Middleton's dress was inspired by Grace Kelly

When I first caught a glimpse of the now Princess of Wales in her Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding dress on 29 April, 2011, I was honestly mesmerised. All too often, I have been underwhelmed when it comes to the choices made by royal brides, but the Princess of Wales’s bridal gown was nothing short of a triumph. 

When quizzed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker for Interview magazine, Sarah Burton revealed that “It was a precious, magical time that I’ll always treasure , and I feel like she gave me a gift in many ways. I feel incredibly privileged.”

According to Clarence House, the then Kate Middleton chose Alexander McQueen ‘“for the beauty of its craftsmanship.” It also said that the design of the gown “pays tribute to the Arts and Crafts tradition.. Ms. Burton’s design draws on this heritage, giving the cut and intricate embellishment a distinctive, contemporary and feminine character.”

The bridal gown, which was hand-made at London’s Royal School of Needlework, featured a high lace collar, long lace sleeves and was very reminiscent of Grace Kelly’s wedding dress. The train was eight feet long and the full veil featured a trim of hand-embroidered flowers. When it came to her accessories, Queen Elizabeth 11 lent her a Cartier halo tiara, which was presented to the Queen when she was Princess Elizabeth on her 18th birthday. 

How did Kate Middleton’s wedding dress compare to Grace Kelly’s bridal gown?

One only has to look at a photograph of the then Kate MIddleton in her wedding dress alongside a photograph of Grace Kelly in hers to see the obvious comparisons. When Grace Kelly married Rainier 111 of Monaco on 19 April 1956, 30 million viewers tuned in to watch the wedding.

Grace Kelly’s wedding dress which was designed by Academy Award-winning costume designer Helen Rose featured a high neckline (like the Princess of Wales’s Alexander McQueen bridal gown), a lace bodice, and a silk taffeta skirt.

Although the Princess of Wales chose a tiara for her big day, Grace Kelly chose a beautiful lace and pearl embellished Juliet cap. Before it was revealed that Sarah Burton had designed Kate Middleton’s wedding dress for Alexander McQueen, I wrote in The Sunday Express that “The name on everyone’s lips at the moment is Phillipa Lepley.” The reason I thought she might choose Phillipa is that Sarah “didn’t court celebrities and this is likely to be a big draw for Kate/”

Also, ironically Phillipa recounted on her website at the time that Princess of Grace is her favourite bride because she said “Grace’s 1956 gown is heralded as one of the most iconic wedding dresses of all time.” Although I opted for the wrong designer I did write that I thought “lace will play an important part in the look and feel of the dress.”

Although it is only 13 years since the Prince and Princess of Wales wed, Catherine, Princess of Wales’s bridal gown looks as timeless as it did when they married on 29 April, 2011, just like Grace Kelly’s wedding dress continues to remain classic long after her big day in 1956.