Kate Middleton's wedding dressmaker criticizes Princess Diana's bridal mishap

Princess Diana's wedding dress mishap didn't need to happen, according to the royal embroiderer.

The Prince and Princess of Wales pose on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, with the Queen and some of the bridesmaids, 29th July 1981. (Photo by Terry Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)
(Image credit: (Photo by Terry Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)

Kate Middleton's wedding dress embroider has criticized the major mistake on Princess Diana's iconic gown.

Princess Diana’s wedding dress mishap has been criticized by a top royal dressmaker, who says the bride’s gown was ‘screwed up.’

Chloe Savage, who worked on the wedding dresses of both Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, has pointed out the serious error and explained how this fashion faux-pas could have been prevented.

“It was a beautiful dress, but someone should have warned them that it was going to be stuffed in the carriage!” she told Business Insider.

The iconic dress she wore for her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, which was designed by Daniel and Elizabeth Emanuel, featured puffy sleeves, a lace gown, and a 25 foot train. The extravagant look was rounded off by a 153 yard veil secured by the Spencer Tiara, a family heirloom that dates back to the Tudor period.

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Unfortunately, Lady Diana’s styling team failed to consider the effect of her transport on her dress. The ivory dress’s taffeta fabric was prone to creasing, especially when folded or bunched. However, the designers had forgotten this small detail, only realizing it when Lady Diana emerged from the carriage. 

“It looked like it needed to be pressed,” Savage said. 

While there was no way to stop the creases altogether, they could have been eliminated prior to entering the church. 

“You could have brushed it over before she walked down the aisle,” Savage said. “It would have taken 10 minutes and all those creases would have dropped.” 

Lady Diana Spencer travels by coach to St Paul's Cathedral for her wedding to the Prince of Wales, 29th July 1981. She wears a wedding dress by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel and the Spencer family tiara. )

(Image credit: (Photo by Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)

Savage, a wedding dress expert who specializes in bridal embroidery, believes the creases ruined the whole look. "It was a beautiful dress, very '80s, very her," she noted. "But if you look at it you go, 'Oh my god, is it that creased?' It would've never occurred to anyone that it would have screwed up that badly." 

Savage isn’t the only one to call out Lady Diana’s team for their lack of preparation. Designer Elizabeth Emanuel revealed in a 2020 interview that she was under the impression that the royal bride would ride in the carriage solo. But the day, her father joined her, leaving less room for the dress and making its creases worse. 

"We did know it would crease a bit but when I saw her arrive at St Paul's and we saw the creasing I actually felt faint," she said, according to the Daily Mirror

We can’t lie, creases aren’t the best accessory on your wedding day. But if there anyone could pull them off, it was Lady Diana. 

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Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.