Elizabeth Emanuel, the designer behind Princess Diana’s wedding gown, has replicated the late princess’s 40-foot veil that vanished over four decades ago. The iconic embroidered veil, originally created by Emanuel and her husband David for Diana’s wedding to Prince Charles in 1981, has been recreated.
The veil has been missing from public displays of Diana’s wedding gown at Kensington Palace and Althorp House. Renae Plant, the founder of the Princess Diana Museum, commissioned Elizabeth Emanuel to recreate the veil to mark the 45th anniversary of the royal wedding.
Sharing unseen images on Instagram, Emanuel revealed the behind-the-scenes process of crafting the original gown in 1981. She emphasized the significance of the veil in completing Diana’s wedding look, describing it as the “Veil of Light” that radiates magic and adds a delicate touch to the dress.
To ensure accuracy, Emanuel collaborated with London-based embroidery house Hand & Lock, who worked on the original veil. The recreated veil will be showcased to the public on a tour in Autumn, allowing a rare glimpse of this piece.
David and Elizabeth Emanuel went to great lengths to keep the design of Diana’s gown secret until the wedding day, even creating a backup dress. Diana never saw the second dress, crafted with the same fabric and design elements as the original.
The recreation of Diana’s iconic veil aims to preserve the magic of her wedding ensemble for future generations to appreciate.
