Queen Elizabeth saved up ration coupons, Kate Middleton did her own make-up and Princess Beatrice wore some seriously old shoes: 4 times British royals were thrifty at their weddings
When you’re a British royal like Kate Middleton or Queen Elizabeth, the public expects a show, but that doesn’t mean every detail has to be over-the-top extravagant
British royals spend a lot of money on their wedding day – millions in fact. William and Kate’s royal wedding cost US$34 million, even though most of that went on security for the event.
But in the end, if you’re spending that much on your special day, it may actually make sense to cut costs in other areas, especially if you’re able to make a statement at the same time. From a wedding dress paid with rations, to vintage wedding attire, here are four times the British royals chose to economise on their wedding day.
A wedding dress paid with rations
As a 21-year-old bride to Prince Phillip, Elizabeth Windsor, now Queen Elizabeth, saved up her ration coupons to buy the fabric for her wedding dress. When her engagement was announced in July 1947, Britain was still embroiled in World War II.
By the time her special day approached in November of that year, the queen had saved up to 200 coupons, several gifted from the British government, which was enough for her silk wedding dress with a 13-foot train. The dress is valued at US$40,000 today – 10 times less than the cost of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress.
Recycling jewellery
World War II was certainly a time of prudence in the royal household. Elizabeth’s three-carat engagement ring was also recycled from the diamonds of Prince Phillip’s mother’s tiara.
Princess Alice of Battenberg gifted the tiara to her son when she knew he was going to propose to Elizabeth. Additional stones from the tiara, which originated from the Russian Empire, were selected to create a bracelet, another part of Elizabeth’s wedding jewels.