From Lady Diana Spencer to Grace Kelly and Leticia Ortiz, these royal brides have given us plenty of timeless wedding day inspiration. Today we wanted to take a minute to appreciate and take inspiration from the most iconic royal couples of all the time.
When: April 29, 2011
Where: Westminster Abbey
The Bride: Kate Middleton
The Groom: Prince William, third in line to the British throne
It’s generally believed that Prince William met Kate Middleton in 2001 when they were both students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. By 2003, they were a couple. After a brief split in 2007, they got back together. They announced their engagement in 2010 and got married the following year for the whole world to see. They welcomed Prince George in 2013 and Princess Charlotte in 2015 and a Louis in 2018.
When: April 18, 1956
Where: The Palace Throne Room
The Bride: Grace Kelly
The Groom: Prince Rainier III, the sovereign of Monaco.
The beautiful american actress Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier III in the French Riviera in 1955. The following year, they got married in a marvelous ceremony and Kelly had to retire from acting to the dismay of millions and millions of fans. She had three children: Princess Stéphanie, Princess Caroline, and Prince Albert ll of Monaco. In 1982, Kelly suffered a stroke while driving, resulting in the car crash that ended her life at 52.
When: July 29, 1981
Where: St. Paul’s Cathedral
The Bride: Lady Diana Spencer
The Groom: Charles, Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the British throne
Princess Diana rose to worldwide fame in 1981 when she became engaged to the heir apparent to the British throne, Prince Charles. Loved and revered across the world, Princess Diana dedicated her life to charity work and raising her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Rumors of Prince Charles’s infidelity were widespread, and the pair divorced in 1996. The following year, Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, an Egyptian film producer.
When: May 22, 2004
Where: Almudena Cathedral
The Bride: Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano
The Groom: Felipe, then Prince of Asturias, heir apparent to the Spanish throne
Before meeting Prince Felipe VI, Ortiz worked as a television journalist. It’s rumored that after seeing her on television, the then-prince asked a mutual friend to set up a dinner for them to meet. Following their meeting in 2002, they began to date and announced their engagement in 2003. The couple has two daughters.
When: June 3, 1937
Where: Château de Candé
The Bride: Wallis Simpson
The Groom: Edward, Duke of Windsor and former King of the United Kingdom
Prince Edward became the King of the United Kingdom in early 1936. Less than a year later, he abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite. Upon his abdication, he received a new title: the Duke of Windsor. Accordingly, Simpson became the Duchess of Windsor.
