The Queen's Bitter Disagreement That Nearly Ruined Diana's Wedding Comes Out
Princess Diana seemed universally beloved, but the truth is that she was constantly having to prove herself to the royal family and the British people. There was no bigger day of her life than her wedding on July 29th, 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral. The Princess-to-be and her designers put an incredible amount of thought into her gown, but they couldn't account for everything. When one flaw showed up, it was already too late.
Wedding bells
Diana was checking off all the boxes leading up to her nuptials. She had met the parents, the friends, and the rest of the extended royal family. She had made plans about what she wanted to accomplish in her new royal position. But one thing that never left Diana's mind was her stunning dress.
In control
Most of the royals depend on other people to do their dirty work for them, but not Princess Diana. Instead of sending an assistant to pick out her dress, she picked up the phone and started researching designers herself. She picked out two young designers she admired, David and Elizabeth Emanuel. But were these relative unknowns ready for such a massive occasion?
People are talking
The team kept their planning under wraps. For a while, it started to feel like Princess Diana's dress was more important than the wedding! "It sounds a bit over-the-top, but it really did seem like people would go to any lengths to find out what the dress looked like," Elizabeth Emmanuel said.
Endless measurements
The Emanuels prepared for Diana’s big day with several dress rehearsals. They took several measurements and sizings. They probably even consulted with other royals to make sure everything was up to par. But amidst all the planning and commotion, they neglected to take into account the dress's measurements, which would cause more problems in the near future...
