Meghan Markle during her wedding in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England.Photo: Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty
Clare Waight Keller is shedding new light onMeghan Markle’s timeless bridal style.
On Friday, the fashion designer behind the long-sleevedGivenchy gownthat the Duchess of Sussex wore to marryPrince Harryin May 2018 revealed new details about the look, fromanother clueabout Meghan’s “something blue” toKing Charles’ appreciation of her veil’sCommonwealth connection.
Waight Keller was the first female artistic director of Givenchy when she brought Meghan’s vision to life and toldVanity Fairwhere she secretly stitched blue fabric from the dress the future duchess wore on her first date with Harry — and what it looked like!
“We basically sewed it into the hem of the wedding dress, so she was the only one that knew that it was there. It was a little blue gingham check,” the British designer told the outlet of the “something blue” tradition.
“It was the perfect personal memento that was secretly hidden inside the dress,” she added.
Meghan Markle enters her wedding in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England.Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty
Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty
Meghan, 42,previously teasedthe tribute in HBO’s 2018 documentaryQueen of the World, but only alluded to where it was.
“Somewhere in here there’s a piece of blue fabric that’s stitched inside — it was my something blue,” she said while inspecting the dress for the first time since her royal wedding day. “It’s fabric from the dress that I wore on our first date.”
In conversation withVanity Fair,Waight Keller said it meant much to Meghan and Harry that hercathedral-length veilfeatured hand-embroidered flower trim representing each of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth.
“[Meghan] felt like she was bringing an element of each of those countries down the aisle with her. So that her new role — and that bridge to the new role — was captured in what she was wearing,” she said. “For both of us, we felt it was a really beautiful signature, and I think even Prince Harry was just thrilled at the idea that we really tried to capture something for everyone in that service.”
“King Charles was just in awe of the dress and the [veil] embroidery, and he asked me about it while we were waiting inside the nave,” she toldVanity Fairof their chat behind the scenes. “He was really very interested, actually, in all the different motifs and the floral representations.”
DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Harry’s fatherwalked Meghan down the aislewhen her father, Thomas Markle, was unable to make it to the celebration. The bride started her walk down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle solo, before meeting Charles (who was then the Prince of Wales) halfway to the altar. The two were all smiles as they walked the rest of the way together.
As Charles greeted his son, Harry smiled and said, “Thank you, Pa.”
Prince Charles walks Meghan Markle down the aisle during her wedding to Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images
“So these were just really modern and clean, but also something that they could move around in and felt like they were real children’s clothes,” she toldVanity Fair— sharing that the bridesmaids’ frocks featured pockets.
Princess Charlotte and her fellow bridesmaids arrive for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding in May 2018.Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
A few months later, the Duchess of Sussexmade a surprise appearanceat the British Fashion Awards in London to present Waight Keller with the British Womenswear Designer of the Year award. Meghan was then pregnant withPrince Archie, and the two women shared a sweet hug on stage.
While accepting the honor, the designer thanked the duchess for trusting her with the life-changing commission.
“I got to know Meghan on such a personal level,” Waight Keller said at the time. “To have someone like that trust you in an incredible moment in their life is something that is just the most unbelievable honor. I can’t thank you enough because it was the most beautiful moment.”
Meghan Markle and Clare Waight Keller on stage at the British Fashion Awards in December 2018.Joe Maher/BFC/Getty
source: people.com
