Meghan Markle and Princess Diana Royal Wedding Dresses Compared

Meghan Markle vs. Princess Diana Wedding Dress

(Image credit: Getty images)

published 19 May 2018

Royal weddings have kept many traditions throughout the years—the tiara, the flowers, the cake, the father walking the bride down the aisle, the kiss—and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding is no exception. But there's something eerily striking between Princess Diana and Meghan Markle's wedding day pictures. Diana's wedding, of course, took place 37 years ago in 1981, but witnessing her daughter-in-law go through the same motions as Diana did when she married Prince Charles is heartbreaking yet bittersweet.

Below, a side-by-side comparison of the late Princess and her newest daughter-in-law on their wedding days.

Meghan wore a classic boatneck dress created by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The French fashion house called it, via Twitter, a "Haute Couture wedding gown." Meghan's clean cut look was dramatically different than Princess Diana's extravagantly voluminous dress, though both featured high necklines covering their shoulders, with simple fabric—unlike Kate Middleton's, which was covered in lace. Both also had incredible trains. Diana's was attached to her dress, and Meghan used her veil to make a dramatic statement.

According to MarieClaire.com's exclusive royal wedding correspondent, Caroline Castigliano, "The veil is five meters long and made from silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza. In addition to the flora of the Commonwealth, Meghan also selected two personal favorites: Wintersweet, which grows in the grounds of Kensington Palace in front of Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy the State flower of California. Symmetrically placed at the very front of the veil, crops of wheat are delicately embroidered and blend into the flora, to symbolize love and charity."

The piece was also designed by Keller and it was held in place by Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau Tiara, lent to Meghan by The Queen.

Princess Diana's wedding day look:

Wedding dress, Bride, Marriage, Ceremony, Bridal clothing, Wedding, Dress, Event, Gown, Tradition,

Wedding dress, Gown, Marriage, Event, Dress, Bridal clothing, Formal wear, Ceremony, Fashion, Tradition,

Gown, Event, Dress, Tradition, Wedding dress, Cope, Ceremony, Marriage, Bridal clothing, Religious institute,

Crowd, Aisle, Fashion, Event, Audience, Pope, Dress, Ceremony, Art,

Meghan's wedding day look:

Bride, Fun, Vehicle door, Vehicle, Wedding, Car, Glass, Family car,

Follow along here as we report on the royal wedding in real-time—from the dress to the tiara to Harry and Meghan's most adorable moments

Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.