Many think that Princess Eugenie’s recent wedding was completely overshadowed by that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but was that the case?
Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank on October 12th at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. The ceremony started at noon, with a congregation of eight hundred guests who included celebrities such as Cara Delevigne, Naomi Campbell, Ellie Goulding, Demi Moore and Kate Moss. Andrea Bocelli and members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra also performed at the ceremony.
The couple’s red velvet and chocolate wedding cake created by London based designer, Sophie Cabot, used autumn colours and was described by Buckingham Palace as having “a modern feel”. The icing on the cake – literally – included ivy to represent the couple’s Ivy Cottage home. It was an original approach that made this cake less boring than most royal wedding cakes.
The Princess wore a gown designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. The fabric was covered with motifs that meant something to Princess Eugenie, including the York Rose, that references the the fact that her parents are the Duke and Duchess of York. The dress had a portrait-neckline that confidently revealed her scar from spinal surgery. To top off this jaw-dropping Cinderella gown, she wore the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara lent to her by the Queen.
The overall cost of the couple’s dreamy day was just under £3 million.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – also tied the knot at St George’s Chapel, driving around town in a horse-drawn carriage so that the public could feel part of the celebration. The celebrities invited included Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Victoria Beckham and Priyanka Chopra. Of the six hundred guests at the ceremony, two hundred were also invited to a reception at Frogmore House.
The couple’s luxurious white lemon flowery cake was created by pastry chef Claire Ptak, owner of London’s Violet Bakery. Prince Harry and Meghan also went for a seasonal theme to their cake: the bright flavours of spring. Presented on a gold stand in Windsor Castle, the cake was covered in white buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.
Meghan’s wedding dress was created by British designer Clare Waight Keller. Sassi Holford, who has also designed for the royals, commented that: “It is important for the dress to fit the venue as well as the occasion.” In 2016 Markle described her ideal wedding dress as “classic and simple, with a modern twist.” Her dress was certainly classic and simple, but in my opinion not modern at all! She chose a bateau neckline and, like Eugenie, topped it off with a tiara borrowed from the Queen – the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara – which to my mind was too magnificent for such a simple dress. The people expected more Meghan!
The event cost roughy £32 million, which was almsot £30 million more than Princess Eugenie’s wedding, but with less guests and a basic dress!
So although the weddings had a lot in common, the main differences were the cake, the dress, and – most dramatically – the price!
Another difference relates to which wedding has been most talked about, and of course it is Harry and Meghan’s. But the fact that Meghan put herself in the spotlight by choosing to announce her pregnancy only a few days after Princess Eugenie’s big day will have had something to do with that!
But I preferred Princess Eugenie’s wedding. The glamour of the whole event, the symbolic motifs on the dress, and most importantly the tempting red velvet cake, all contributed to a modern fairytale! She might also have started a trend amongst women of her age by ordering that red velvet cake.
