Queen Camilla Rewears Wedding Dress For The Royal Couple’s 20th Anniversary
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2 days ago
Queen Camilla donned an altered version of her wedding dress during a state visit in Italy
It might not feel like it, but yesterday marked two decades since King Charles and Queen Camilla tied the knot. And while the royals aren’t holding a major public-facing celebration this time around – the couple are in face on an official four-day visit in Italy – Queen Camilla did take the opportunity to take a sentimental tone with her wardrobe by wearing her 20-year-old wedding dress.
Queen Camilla Wears Her Wedding Dress On Her And Charles’ 20th Anniversary
On 9 April, the day of the royal couple’s wedding anniversary, Queen Camilla stepped out in an ivory silk tea-length dress – which might have looked familiar to fans of the queen consort.
The dress was originally worn by Camilla on the day of her wedding to Charles, during the couple’s civil ceremony. The royal’s choice to wear the gown once again on their anniversary – albeit with a few modifications here and there – was a lovely celebratory touch.
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But how does Queen Camilla’s wedding dress differ, 20 years on? The royal apparently enlisted the help of the original designer of the dress, Anna Valentine, to give the gown a modern update. A scalloped detail along the neckline and embellishment at the hem seem to have been removed, while additional embroidery details by the King’s Foundation artisan Beth Somerville have been added.
The royal teamed her newly repurposed wedding dress with a three-row pearl necklace, gold bracelets and her engagement ring.
While the queen consort chose to rewear the dress to mark the couple’s milestone anniversary, it’s worth noting that she has already reworn her wedding dress once before – in 2007, just two years after her nuptials, at the opening of the National Assembly for Wales.
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Charles and Camilla officially marked their anniversary by releasing three intimate portraits on the royal family’s official social channels, alongside a slideshow of pictures from over the years.
What Did Camilla Wear On Her Wedding Day?
Their wedding day might have lacked much of the pomp and circumstance associated with a modern royal wedding – the civil ceremony was not televised, although the subsequent religious blessing was – King Charles and Queen Camilla did have one of the most notable royal nuptials in recent history.
The couple had originally planned to be married on 8 April 2005, but the death of Pope John Paul II caused a slight delay; to ensure notable guests could attend both his funeral and the royal wedding, the date was pushed back by one day.
The event itself was split into two parts: a legal wedding held at Windsor Guildhall, and a religious blessing in in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Camilla wore two outfits (one for each event), although it’s the second that is probably to best recognised due to this part of the wedding day being televised.
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The First Dress
The royal’s first wedding ensemble – which she wore once again for her 20th wedding anniversary – was comprised of a cream silk chiffon dress hemmed with vertical rows of Swiss-made appliqued woven disks. Over the top, she wore a matching oyster silk basket weave coat.
Queen Camilla’s wedding dress was designed by British fashion house Robinson Valentine, which was headed up by designers Antonia Robinson and Anna Valentine. The latter became the sole name on the label not long after the royal wedding, and Anna Valentine has since become one of the queen consort’s favourite designers.
The Second Dress
Queen Camilla’s second wedding dress, also designed by Anna Valentine, departed from the traditional white gown. Instead, the royal wore a floor-length embroidered pale blue and gold coat and a matching chiffon dress, teamed up with gold feathers in her hair. The golden feathers were reportedly designed by Irish haute couture milliner Philip Treacy.
