Queen Elizabeth II news: Her Majesty's 'requests for coronation dress REVEALED'
QUEEN Elizabeth II wanted her coronation dress to be similar to her wedding dress, the late British couturier and designer Sir Norman Hartnell claimed in an uncovered article, in which he even said he added "a good luck charm".
The Coronation sees the Queen reflect on her own ceremony
The wedding dress worn by Princess Elizabeth for her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh on November 20, 1947, and the Queen's coronation dress, were both designed by the great British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell at Her Majesty’s “command”. After the success of the Queen’s wedding dress, Sir Norman was commissioned to design a dress for the Queen’s coronation at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. In an uncovered interview for Picture Post magazine in 1953, he claimed that the Queen wanted her coronation dress “rather on the lines of my wedding dress”.
He recalled her saying: “It will have to be in white satin."
The 1953 article suggests the British Monarch provided “brilliant inspiration” which resulted in the dress being “embroidered with emblems of all the Commonwealth countries”.
Like the Queen’s wedding dress, it had a fitted bodice and easy-flowing skirt.
The gown was created in the finest white duchesse satin, embroidered in a lattice-work effect and was encrusted with seed pearls, sequins and crystals.
According to the article, “unknown to the Queen”, Sir Norman “added a good luck charm”.
Amid floral emblems signifying the nations of the U.K. and the countries of the Commonwealth, he “added an extra four-leaf shamrock on the left side of the skirt so that her hand could rest upon it during the ceremony”.
The coronation gown has been worn just six times more, with three appearances in 1954 when the Queen wore it to open parliaments in Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand.
It was worn for the opening of Canada’s parliament in 1957 and it was seen in an exhibition marking the Queen’s 90th birthday.
When then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip married in 1947, the royal wedding served as an escape from post World War Two austerity in the UK.
Two years after the war was over, Britain was still recovering from the Blitz and rationing was in effect for everyone, even the Royal Family.
The future Queen saved up clothing coupons to purchase her wedding dress.
She was granted 200 extra ration coupons for the celebration, but admirers of the young royal thought that wasn't enough, and quickly sent her theirs in the post.
Each one was returned with a note as it was illegal to transfer them and the Princess made her post-War budget work.
However, Netflix series "The Crown" gave a good idea of how much the gown might cost to make today.
Designers for the programme created a identical gown for the wedding scene, which cost £30,000.