Which Royal Bride Wore the Most Expensive Wedding Dress?

Any royal wedding has a number of elements to be in awe of. Whether it’s the elaborate procession, the lengthy guest list, or the first sighting of the newlyweds after they say “I do,” there are so many magical moments to look forward to. However, when it comes to the fashion associated with such a celebration, there’s one statement-making outfit that rises above the rest: the bride’s gown. That was certainly the case at the nuptials of Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, and Kate Middleton to their respective partners. Each of these dresses were showstopping pieces, setting global trends for brides-to-be around the world. Yet, even though these gowns may have made a similar impact when revealed to the public, each of them differed in terms of their cost. 

So, which royal wedding gown was the most expensive? When you compare costs and factor in inflation, the answer is going to surprise you.

How Much Did Queen Elizabeth’s Wedding Dress Cost? 

With intricate details and embroidery that required 25 needlewomen and 10 embroiderers to work on it, Elizabeth’s wedding gown was an expensive, elaborate piece. At the time of her marriage to Prince Philip, the United Kingdom was still in the process of recovering from World War II. Due to stringent economic rules that were put into place, the royal family was required to foot the bill for Elizabeth’s dress for her big day. The final price tag? $42,000—equivalent to approximately $1.6 million today. To pay for her extravagant wedding-day ensemble, Elizabeth reportedly turned to rationing coupons. Some members of the British public even sent the royal their own coupons in hopes of contributing to the making of her gown.

How Much Did Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress Cost? 

So much public intrigue surrounded Diana’s gown that the designers, David and Elizabeth Emanuel, had a code word to refer to the ensemble. The silk-and-taffeta dress included mother-of-pearl sequins and approximately 10,000 pearls. It also featured a number of statement-making elements, including puff sleeves, a ruffled neckline—and a 25-foot train. The designer duo said they strove to make her look like a true princess on her big day while also embracing the trends and fashions of the decade. Ultimately, all of these details contributed to the high cost of the dress, which came to $115,000 on the day of Diana’s nuptials to Prince Charles. Today, the gown would come in at approximately $400,000.

How Much Did Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dress Cost? 

Kate’s stunning ivory and white satin gazar ball gown that was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen was a vintage-inspired piece infused with modern elements. The full organza skirt, long-sleeve lace bodice, and plunging neckline, spurred a number of bridal trends. The work of making the ensemble was difficult: To keep the dress clean, embroiderers needed to wash their hands every 30 minutes while making the gown, according to the BBC. While Kate’s train was a bit shorter than that of Diana’s (the former’s was nine-feet long, while the latter’s was 25-feet long), it was still nothing short of extraordinary. The total cost of the gown came in at $434,000, equivalent to $617,000 today.