Princess Diana was, and remains, one of the most famous women in the world.
When she married Prince Charles at St Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, 1981 it is estimated that over 750 million people tuned in to watch worldwide.
Diana sparkled on the day in a white bell-shaped wedding gown by design team The Emmanuels. Its train was the longest ever worn by a royal bride at 25 feet long.
The wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales may not have stood the test of time but it remains one of the most watched society and royal weddings of all time. Following her engagement to Charles, Diana became an overnight sensation and wherever she went the spotlight would always shine on her and what she wore.
This instant and enduring press attention plagued the princess for the rest of her life and was seen as a contributing factor to her untimely death in 1997.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana married at St Paul’s Cathedral, July 29, 1981.
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A factor of this attention meant that Diana was very often accused of overshadowing events. When she debuted a new hairstyle ahead of the State Opening of Parliament in 1984, the newspapers the next day were not full of the queen’s speech or the majestic appearance of the sovereign in centuries-old ceremony. Instead, they focused on a young glamorous Diana’s new hairdo.
It’s no surprise that her wedding guest outfits also frequently made more headlines than the bride’s gown did.
With this in mind Newsweek looks at Diana’s top society wedding appearances.
Nicholas Soames’ wedding, June 4, 1981
Politician Nicholas Soames is a close personal friend of the Prince of Wales and is also a descendant of wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. When Soames married Catherine Weatherall in 1981, the ceremony was to take place just a month before the wedding of the century—that of his royal friend Prince Charles.
As such Lady Diana Spencer was invited to attend along with other members of the royal family. Diana fever was growing in the lead-up to the wedding and the soon-to-be-princess appeared in a red dress with white, green and blue polka dots printed onto it with a red Robin Hood style hat.
Princess Diana attended the wedding of Nicholas Soames at St Margaret’s Church, London, June 4, 1981.
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Carolyn Herbert’s wedding, July 1, 1985
To the wedding of a daughter of the royal family’s close friends the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, at Highclere (made famous as Downton Abbey), Diana wore a delicately printed pink and white spotted dress with a large picture hat.
There were many royals at the event including Prince Andrew and so the princess was not so obviously conspicuous among the crowd.
Princess Diana attended the wedding of Carolyn Herbert at Highclere, July 1, 1985.
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Prince Andrew’s wedding, July 23, 1986
When Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson in 1986, it was the first major royal wedding since that of Charles and Diana five years before. As the occasion was to take place at Westminster Abbey and have a reception at Buckingham Palace, Diana could afford to be more extravagant in her wardrobe than at more private events.
On the day, the princess wore a classic 1980s turquoise spotted suit with a matching hat and accessories.
Princess Diana attended the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson wearing a turquoise blue and black spotted ensemble. July 23, 1986.
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Rupert Soames’ wedding, October 8, 1988
When Prince Charles’ friend Rupert Soames married Camilla Dunne at Hereford Cathedral in 1988, Diana attended with her husband. A guest at the wedding was the designer of the outfit Diana wore that day, Catherine Walker, and the two were photographed together on the steps of the cathedral following the service.
Princess Diana wore a blue Catherine Walker design to the wedding of Rupert Soames, October 8, 1988.
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Charles Spencer’s wedding, September 16, 1989
Diana’s only brother Charles Spencer married at their family estate in Northamptonshire in 1989. The groom’s high-profile sister attended the wedding with her husband and the young Prince William and Prince Harry acted as page boys for the bride.
Diana wore an elegant gray silk tailcoat-inspired ensemble designed for her by Catherine Walker. Underneath was a white shift dress, kept suitably non-bridal thanks to the touches of gray.
The bride, Victoria Aitken, wore the Spencer tiara which the princess had worn on her wedding day and to many royal events since then.
Princess Diana wore a Catherine Walker suit to the wedding of her only brother, September 16, 1989.
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Virginia Pitman’s wedding, August 30, 1991
Before she married Prince Charles, Diana shared a flat in London’s Chelsea with three other girls around her age. Diana was the first to marry and invited each of her former flatmates to the wedding. When her friends in turn arranged their own weddings they invited her as a guest of honor. Diana attended the nuptials of Virginia Pitman in August 1991 held not far from her former flat in Chelsea, wearing an elegant green Catherine Walker outfit.
Princess Diana attended the wedding of her old flat mate and friend Virginia Pitman in Chelsea, London. August 30, 1991.
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Lady Helen Windsor’s wedding, July 18, 1992
Lady Helen Taylor (nee Windsor) is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin, the Duke of Kent. When she married in 1992 at St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle, the entire royal family attended, making it one of the biggest royal weddings of the 1990s. The bride’s dress was designed by Diana’s couturier, Catherine Walker, and the princess coordinated with the bride by wearing a modern Walker suit in mint green with contrasting navy waist panel.
Princess Diana wore a mint green and navy Catherine Walker suit to the wedding of Lady Helen Windsor, July 18, 1992.
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David Linley’s wedding, October 8, 1993
The son of Princess Margaret, the queen’s sister, married Lady Serena Stanhope in London on October 8, 1993. Despite having separated from Prince Charles in 1992, Diana was still very much a member of the royal family and was invited to attend all royal events . Diana wore an elegant gray suit and hat to the ceremony at St Margaret’s Westminster and was photographed speaking with the queen afterwards.
Princess Diana attended the wedding of Princess Margaret’s son, David Linley on October 8, 1993
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Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones, July 14, 1994
Princess Margaret’s daughter Lady Sarah Chatto (nee Armstrong Jones) is the beloved only niece of Queen Elizabeth II and was the chief bridesmaid at the wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981.
Lady Sarah married actor Daniel Chatto in 1994 wearing a dress designed by a friend of Diana’s, Jasper Conran. It was based on a portrait in the queen’s collection at Buckingham Palace. Diana attended the wedding alone and wore a striking navy suit and elegant hat typical of her style in the years leading up to her untimely death.
Princess Diana attended the wedding of Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones wearing a chic blue suit on July 14, 1994.
Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images
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Throughout her life in the public spotlight Princess Diana attended many society and royal weddings. But how did she do this without outshining the bride? Photographed (L) on her wedding day, July 29, 1981. And (R) at the wedding of Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones, July 14, 1994.
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