The 24 Most Stunning Royal Wedding Dresses Throughout History

With Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's sure-to-be-rule-breaking royal wedding just a few weeks away (stay tuned with Who What Wear UK for live coverage of all the most important fashion intel), we're looking back through the history books to find clues about the all-important dress to come. On June 19, everything will become clear, but what if—bear with us—Meghan had seen Princess Anne's statement-sleeved gown from her 1973 wedding to Captain Mark Phillips and felt inspired to re-create a modern version? It is, in our opinion, one of the most underrated wedding gowns of last century (keep scrolling to check it out).

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

When you come across the phrase "princess wedding dress," a big poufy ball gown probably comes to mind, right? Well, based on our research, the actual princess wedding dresses throughout history aren't always of the poufy ball gown variety—although there's a decent amount of tulle and underskirts to keep those of you who like a dramatic gown happy.

Princess Diana's wedding dress certainly put all poufy wedding dresses to shame (we'll refresh your memory below), but that was the peak of '80s extravagance, and many other royal gowns run the gamut from slim, lace, and long-sleeved to off-the-shoulder and satin. You're probably familiar with a few of the below (has anyone on this planet not seen Kate Middleton's dress a thousand times?), but many of the princess-style wedding dresses included below are significantly more under-the-radar.

Head below to see 24 stunning regal gowns throughout history, from 1925 via Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Grace of Monaco and many more up to now.

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Mafalda of Savoy, 1925
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Designer: Unknown

Mafalda was noted to be wearing the Hesse family wheat tiara.

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Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, 1947
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Norman Hartnell

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Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco, 1956
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Helen Rose

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Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, 1964
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Designer: Cartier tiara

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Anne, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, 1973
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Designer: Maureen Baker of Susan Small

Related: All the Iconic Princess Diana Outfits We Want to See on The Crown

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Princess Caroline of Monaco, 1978
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Designer: Unknown

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Princess Diana of Wales, 1981
(Image credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images )

Designer: David and Elizabeth Emanuel

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Princess Masako of Japan, 1993
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Hanae Mori

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Princess (now Queen) Máxima of the Netherlands, 2002
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Valentino

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Princess Letizia of Asturias (now Queen of Spain), 2004
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Manuel Pertegaz

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Princess Mary of Denmark, 2004
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Uffe Frank

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Princess (now Queen) Noor of Jordan, 2004
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Unknown

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Princess Alexandra of Denmark, 2007
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Henrik Hviid

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Princess Victoria of Sweden, 2010
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Pär Engsheden

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Duchess Catherine of Cambridge, 2011
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen

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Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, 2010
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Henrik Hviid

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Princess Sophie of Prussia, 2011
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Wolfgang Joop

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Princess Charlene of Monaco, 2011
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Giorgio Armani Privé

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Princess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, 2012
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Elie Saab

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Princess Claire of Luxembourg, 2013
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Elie Saab

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Princess Madeleine of Sweden, 2013
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Valentino

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Princess Beatrice of Monaco, 2015
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Giorgio Armani Privé

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Princess Sofia of Sweden, 2015
(Image credit: Getty Images )

Designer: Ida Sjöstedt

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Princess Ekaterina of Hanover, 2017
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Designer: Sandra Mansour (and you can read all about this beautiful gown with via our interview with the designer).

Next up, the best high-street wedding dresses you'll love.

This piece was previously published on Who What Wear U.S. and has since been updated.

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.