​Princess brides: The most beautiful royal wedding gowns

Finding the perfect wedding dress is an important decision for any bride, but when the eyes of the whole world are on you, that choice becomes all the more crucial. Months of effort go into creating the gowns of royal brides, like Duchess Kate's spectacular Alexander McQueen creation, which was televised for millions of people to see. Click through to see the most beautiful royal wedding gowns...
Dazzling millions of royal watchers around the world, Kate was flawless in a vintage Alexander McQueen gown customized by Sarah Burton for her historic Royal Wedding to Prince William in 2011. Its boned bodice started with a gently curving sweetheart neckline, leading to a ruched, full skirt. Following in the traditional footsteps of her predecessors, Kate chose full-length sleeves, featuring an elaborate lace design hand-sewn from individual flowers. The Duchess has served as an inspiration for brides-to-be for years – even today, designers are still emulating her show-stopping gown. (Photo © Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Princess Charlene’s wedding to Prince Albert II started with a civil service, as is customary in Monaco, followed by a lavish religious ceremony the next day on July 2, 2011. The South African bride dazzled in a gorgeous Armani dress that featured two trains. Simple in design and impeccably constructed, the gown was cut from 130 metres of silk, studded with 40,000 crystals and embellished with 20,000 teardrops fashioned from mother-of-pearl. (Photo © Eric Mathon - Palais Princier via Getty Images)
London was the setting for the marriage between Marie-Chantal and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, who wed in Bayswater's St Sophia Cathedral on July 1, 1995. The bride said her vows wearing a silk ivory Valentino dress thought to have cost an estimated $287,000. The gown's skirt was adorned with appliquéd roses, with smaller flowers decorating its lace bodice. On her head she wore a scalloped veil made from four-and-a-half metres of Chantilly lace and embroidered with butterflies. Her diamond tiara was lent to her by the groom's mother, Queen Anne-Marie. (Photo © Getty)
Marie Cavallier joined the Danish royal family on May 24, 2008, after marrying Prince Joachim in Mogeltonder Church. The striking Parisian walked down the aisle in a fairytale haute couture dress designed by Swiss fashion house Arasa Morelli. The full-skirted, off-white gown featured an embroidered lace bodice, made from 19th century-inspired lace and tulle, and a three-metre-long train. Marie's tulle veil was held in place by a tiara belonging to her mother-in-law, Queen Margrethe. (Photo © Getty)
Harvard graduate Masako Owada became a member of Japan's Imperial Family on June 9, 1993, when she married Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko's first son, Crown Prince Naruhito. For the couple's traditional Shinto ceremony, the bride wore a silk bridal kimono – made up of a dozen layers – which eventually weighed 14 kilograms and cost more than $100,000. Masako completed her extravagant attire with elegant long gloves and beautifully decorative jewellery, including an ornate diamond tiara and necklace. (Photo © Getty)
On July 5, 2014, Prince Amadeo wed his longtime love, Elisabetta Maria Rosboch von Wolkenstein. The 28-year-old Belgian royal, whose uncle is reigning monarch King Philippe, tied the knot with his Italian girlfriend of seven years at the Basilica Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome. Elisabetta, who is known as Lili, stepped out in a breathtaking ivory Valentino gown with intricate lace detail. (Photo © Elisabetta A. Villa/WireImage)
Belgium's future king, Crown Prince Philippe, married his beautiful bride Mathilde in a winter wedding on December 4, 1999. To exchange her vows – the couple had both a civil ceremony in the town hall and a religious one at the Cathedral of Saint Michel – the princess wore a traditional gown designed for her by Belgian couturier Edouard Vermeulen of the Natan fashion house. She also wore a two-metre-long veil made from Brussels lace, which was crowned by a diamond diadem, and pearl-and-diamond earrings. (Photo © Getty)
There was great excitement among British royal watchers on May 17, 2008, when Autumn Kelly married the Queen's oldest grandchild, Peter Phillips, in Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel. The Canadian stunner wore an ivory satin dress by Sassi Holford, estimated to have cost $3,800 (CAN). She completed her outfit for the wedding with a cathedral train, a lace bolero to adorn her shoulders and a beautiful tiara, which was loaned to her by her mother-in-law, the Princess Royal. The necklace and earrings were given to her by her groom as a wedding gift. (Photo © should read IAN MCILGORM/AFP/Getty Images)
On Saturday, September 21, 2013, Prince Felix of Luxembourg and his German love, Claire Lademacher, said "I do" in a lavish religious ceremony in the South of France. The beautiful bride stepped out in a splendid lace Elie Saab gown reminiscent of the one worn by Amal Clooney. She topped off the romantic bridal look with a stunning tiara and pearl-drop earrings. (Photo © Handout/Getty Images)
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden - the nation's future queen - married her longtime love, Daniel Westling, in a beautiful ceremony held at Stockholm's Cathedral on June 19, 2010. The bride was picture-perfect in a cream-coloured satin gown designed for her by Par Engsheden, which featured a V-shaped back and a rounded neckline. Her five-metre train, attached at the waist of her dress, trailed out from behind and perfectly matched the shape of the princess' veil, which was held in place by the same tiara Queen Silvia wore to her wedding in 1976. (Photo © Anders Wiklund - Pool/Getty Images)
On May 14, 2004, in Copenhagen Cathedral, Mary Donaldson married her Prince Charming, Frederik of Denmark. She chose a beautiful and simple sleeved gown by Danish designer Uffe Frank to wear on her big day, and accessorized with an antique veil used by Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden on the occasion of her marriage in 1905. In honour of her Australian roots, Mary's bouquet included eucalyptus, as well as flowers picked from the royal palace's garden (All photos: © Getty Images, PA)
Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore a wedding dress inspired by the one worn by groom Crown Prince Haakon's great grandmother, Queen Maud, for her marriage in 1896. Created by designer Ove Harder Finseth and seamstress Anna Bratland, the gown was made of thick silk crepe and draped in soft silk tulle. The train reached two metres, while her veil was made from six metres of silk. Adorning her head on her big day – held on Aug. 25, 2001, in Oslo Cathedral – was a beautiful antique tiara, presented as a gift from her in-laws, Harald and Sonja. (Photo © Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images)
One year later, and the Norwegian royals were celebrating again at the wedding of Haakon's younger sister, Princess Martha Louise. The bride married author Ari Behn in May 2002 wearing a two-piece wedding outfit created for her by Oslo-based designer Wenche Lyche, which featured a dress and jacket. The costume was inspired by the shape and colour of the Martha lily and the Swarovski-embroidered bridal jacket was made of off-white duchess satin. The bride – whose bouquet consisted mainly of lilies – also paid tribute to her royal heritage by holding her veil in place with a tiara originally belonging to Queen Maud. (Photo © Getty)
On May 24, 2008, Prince Joachim of Denmark married French-born Princess Marie at the picturesque Mogeltonder Church, located in a medieval village in South Denmark. Marie, who became a princess upon marriage, dazzled in a wedding gown designed by Spanish-Italian fashion house Arasa Morelli. (Photo © Steen Brogaard/AFP/Getty Images)
It was certainly a day to remember as Princess Madeleine of Sweden married her American financier love, Chris O'Neill, in a splendid ceremony in Stockholm's royal chapel. The radiant bride stepped out in a stunning silk gown, complete with ivory-coloured Chantilly lace, by Italian fashion maestro Valentino - one that moved Chris to tears as he saw her walking down the aisle. (Photo © Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
Guests including Britain's Prince Charles and Nelson Mandela gathered in Madrid to see Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano marry Spain's Crown Prince Felipe in a Roman Catholic ceremony on May 22, 2004. The former journalist chose a wedding gown by veteran Spanish designer Manuel Pertegaz to wear to her nuptials, featuring an impressive train, fitted bodice and an unusual high collar. (Photo © Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
Willem-Alexander's bride found her perfect gown courtesy of one of the world's top designers. Princess Máxima of the Netherlands married her royal love on Feb. 2, 2002 in Amsterdam wearing a Valentino couture long-sleeved ivory gown, with a train inset that featured beautiful embroidered flowers. Her tiara was made especially for the occasion – its base was taken from one owned by Queen Emma, and the stars from one owned by Emma's daughter, Queen Wilhelmina, Queen Beatrix's grandmother. For her bridal bouquet, Maxima chose a cascading arrangement of white roses, gardenias and lilies of the valley. (Photo © Pool BENAINOUS/DUCLOS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Just five months after she locked eyes on her handsome future husband at a dinner party, Rania Al-Yassin married Jordan's prince – later king – Abdullah bin Al-Hussein on June 10, 1993. The beautiful bride, who became queen in March 1999, wore a gown created by famous Lebanese designer Elie Saab. (Photo © RABIH MOGHRABI/AFP/Getty Images)
Five months after the announcement of their engagement, Britain's Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones were married in Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel on Saturday June 19, 1999. For her wedding to the Queen's youngest son, Sophie wore a simple ivory silk and organza dress-coat created by Samantha Shaw, featuring 325,000 crystals and pearls fastened along the neck, full-length sleeves and train. As well as her corseted V-neck gown, Sophie wore a cathedral-length veil, sprinkled with more crystals, and a diamond tiara from the Queen's private collection. She was also adorned with a black-and-white pearl necklace and matching earrings designed by Edward as a wedding gift. (Photo © Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images)
In keeping with the wedding itself, Zara Phillips chose an understated yet elegant ivory silk dress on the day she sealed her love with her rugby-player beau, Mike Tindall. Fashioned by designer Stewart Parvin, one of her grandmother the Queen’s favourite couturiers, it was a stunning creation that featured a dropped-waist bustier and gently curving organza straps. Her veil was held in place by the Greek ‘Key’ tiara, lent to Zara by her mother, Princess Anne. Ever the fashionista, Zara completed the modern look with a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. (Photo © Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall/ via Getty Images)
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