Royal wedding dresses are always a topic of conversation, and people around the world love seeing what the royals wear down the aisle—as well as what they change into later in the evening. Many have discussed Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle’s second dresses, but did you know Princess Diana sported a rather unconventional outfit after her nuptials?
Princess Diana’s Unique Post-Wedding Outfit
Diana wore a now-famous fairytale wedding gown for her 1981 ceremony, complete with a 25-foot train and huge puff sleeves. The wedding gown wasn’t exactly suited for traveling, though, so the princess changed into a more casual—and unique—outfit after the ceremony.
While leaving for their honeymoon trip to Gibraltar, Diana was photographed in a light pink knee-length dress, paired with a matching short-sleeved jacket. She accessorized with a clutch and feathered hat in the same shade of pink.
The outfit, which was custom made for Diana by Belville Sassoon, came with another jacket option with longer sleeves. The ensemble was so practical and fashionable that it quickly found a place in the princess’ permanent wardrobe. Diana wore the outfit in 1982 on a royal tour of Australia, as well as a hospital opening in 1983.
Belville Sassoon Initially Turned Her Away
However, Diana’s post-wedding look almost didn’t happen. While shopping for an outfit for her engagement photos, the princess was turned away from the Belville Sassoon store at closing time. A sales associate directed her to nearby Harrods’, not recognizing the royal.
“You can imagine how Belinda [Bellville] and David [Sassoon] felt when they realized the future Princess of Wales had been turned away,” said Matthew Storey, Curator of Royal Style in the Making fashion exhibition at Kensington Palace.
Diana ended up returning to the store with her mother and went on to have a close relationship with the designers. In addition to creating her honeymoon travel outfit, Belville Sassoon also produced her bright blue outfit used for engagement photos.
Middleton And Markle’s More Traditional Second Dresses
While Diana opted for a colorful change of clothes after her wedding ceremony, her future daughters-in-law kept things traditional. Middleton changed out of her lace-sleeve Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown and into another dress from the designer. This one was more simple, made of white satin and accessorized with a sparkly sash and white cardigan.
Markle also opted for another white gown. She walked down the aisle in a bateau-neck gown designed by Givenchy, but changed into a more fun, halter-neck Stella McCartney dress for the reception.
Diana was known for being a trailblazer during her time with the royal family, and it looks like her post-wedding outfit change was no exception!
