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http://womenshistory.about.com/od/diana/a/diana_wedding.htm
Princess Diana's Wedding Fairy-Tale Day Gives Few Hints of Sad Future By Jone Johnson Lewis, About.com Guide Called the "wedding of the century," the wedding of Lady Diana Frances Spencer to Charles, Prince of Wales, took place on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul's Cathedral. Diana was 20 years old, Charles 32 years old. Also see: Princess Diana Wedding Pictures, Princess Diana Biography, Catherine and William Wedding Pictures Diana and Charles had been seeing each other for about six months when he proposed on February 3, 1981, at a dinner for two at Buckingham Palace. He knew she planned a vacation for the next week, and hoped she'd use the time to consider her answer. Officiants at the wedding of Diana and Charles included the Archbishop of Canterbury and 25 other clerics, some of other denominations. The service was a traditional Church of England wedding service. There were 3,500 people in the congregation at St. Paul's Cathedral. Another 750 million people watched the ceremony worldwide; this figure rose to a billion when the radio audience is added in. Two million spectators lined the route of Diana's procession from Clarence House, with 4,000 police and 2,200 military officers to manage the crowds. Diana arrived at St. Paul's Cathedral in a glass coach, escorted by five mounted military police officers. The carriage was too small to comfortably hold Diana's father and Diana in her dress and train. Diana's wedding dress was a puff ball meringue wedding dress, with huge puffed sleeves and a frilly neckline. The dress was made of silk taffeta, decorated with lace, hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls. It was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, and had a 25-foot train. Charles wore his full dress naval commander uniform. After the ceremony, the couple went to Buckingham palace for a small dinner for 120. Appearing on a balcony, Diana and Charles pleased the crowd by kissing. Diana was the first British citizen to marry an heir to the British throne in 300 years. Note: Though she was known widely as Princess Diana, Diana's proper title at the time of her death was Diana, Princess of Wales.

http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/01/princess-dianas-wedding-dress-continues-to-inspire-u-sfans/
BBC America PRINCESS DIANA S WEDDING DRESS CONTINUES TO INSPIRE U.S. FANS

By Laura Trevelyan | Posted on Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Diana's wedding dress on display in Grand Rapids With all the build up to Prince William and Kate Middleton s big day, have you been wondering where Diana, Princess of Wales wedding dress is? Look no further than the Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan. Thousands have been flocking from across the Midwest to see Diana, A Celebration a traveling exhibition from Diana s ancestral home in the English county of Northamptonshire. It features personal mementos, home videos of Diana as a child, and many of her famous outfits including the most well-known dress of all, the one she wore on her wedding day back on July 29, 1981. It s displayed in all its glory puffy sleeves and vast quantities of ivory fabric, with the 25-foot train laid out in full. A parasol made to match the dress, just in case of rain, sits in a glass case nearby. The full train of Diana's wedding gown As they see the dress, visitors to the exhibition are instantly taken back in time, remembering how Diana, followed by her train, walked up the aisle of St. Paul s Cathedral that day. Many here can recall getting up in the early hours of the morning to watch the wedding on TV. Pamella Roland DeVos, dress designer, philanthropist, and honorary trustee of the museum, was instrumental in bringing the exhibition here. A Diana fan, who got married at about the same time as Charles and Diana, she s watching the build up to William and Kate s wedding with great interest, both professional and personal.

2 Diana s dress was very 80s, it had the sleeves and was overwhelming, she told me. Kate won t do that. Pamella expects Kate to opt for long sleeves, with a fitted,Grace Kelly-style dress along with a full train but not a 25-footlong one.

Watch Laura Trevelyans interview with Pamella Roland DeVos.

The exhibition records how Diana saw the wedding as the happiest day of her life. Yet those who have made the pilgrimage to Grand Rapids know only too well how the story ended. Royal fan Meredith Hedeman came with her daughter, mother, and grandmother to pay homage to the woman she still sees as an inspiration. Coming face-to-face with Diana s wedding dress is awe-inspiring for her fans their profound hope is that William and Kate will enjoy the happy marriage which eluded Diana.

http://www.mardonjewelers.com/blog/estate-jewelry/our-lady-diana-ring/
Our Lady Diana Ring March 18th, 2011 by James L. Sweaney, CGA, FGA. GG We ve just completed this gorgeous sapphire and diamond ring, inspired by the engagement ring of Lady Diana and soon-to-be Lady Kate. This basic design, where a colored gemstone is surrounded by a circlet of diamonds, has been a favorite for centuries. Since everybody and their uncle has been doing versions of the ring, we might as well show off a well made quality piece by Mardon. We studied the available photos of Lady Diana and Kate Middleton wearing the ring because we wanted to portray the Lady Di design as accurately as possible and get the exact structure and prong layout. It was challenging to keep the overall proportion and look of our ring similar, because we used a smaller sapphire 3 ct vs the original 12. And where her stone is an oval, ours is similar but slightly different the classic cushion antique shape often used for fine sapphires. Adjusting the stone sizes for the cluster surrounding the center, we were able get the same number of diamonds. We used a good match of VS quality diamonds, all recycled from estate jewelry! You can see the gem report for the sapphire in our Gallery of Gems, I-17700. It s a classic cushion shape, beautifully cut, eye clean, with a vivid velvety medium dark blue color. Although a Ceylon sapphire, the stone has a slightly sleepy appearance the softens its look, reminiscent of Kashmir sapphires. We think this stone is richer in color the Lady Di sapphire seems bit dark, as you can see from the photos. We ve surrounded it with over a carat of dazzling VS clarity diamonds of G to H color and set the gems in solid 14K white gold. Based on our experience making jewelry, and seeing just how the royal ring was put together, we produced two separate components, the gem cluster and the ring shank/underbezel, on our new digital rapidprototype CAD/CAM system. Then our goldsmith built the prongs as shown in the photos of the actual ring. Our method was actually much like the original for making this style completely by hand, with the exception that we produced the main parts with modern technology. As we were briefing our goldsmith, Scott, on how the ring should be put together, the gems set, the piece polished, etc., he told us a very interesting story of his encounter with Lady Diana s ring. In 1987, early on in his career, he was working for a high-end jewelery maker located in Palm Springs, CA. Owner of a truly carriage trade business, she was preparing a line of jewelry items for Harrod s, the famous department store, and was making a lot of trips back and forth to London. One day, after she returned from London, her shop foreman handed Scott a big sapphire ring and asked him to check the prongs for tightness and wear, mentioning that this was actually Lady Diana s ring! At the time, Scott had been working with a lot of large fine gemstones his recall is that the ring was not impressive, especially compared to the other pieces he had been seeing. This jives with the fact that while Diana chose her ring from a group of rings presented by the then Crown jeweller, Garrard s of Mayfair, the same ring was a standard item, available in the Garrard catalogue, and the original cost was a nominal 28,500 British pounds. Of course, now that it is one of the most famous pieces of jewelry in the world, the ring of Lady Diana was last valued at 250,000 pounds, due to it s provenance. With the upcoming wedding and further association with the royals, who knows what it s ultimate value will be. Kate Middleton, soon Princess Kate, and perhaps Queen Catherine, will certainly be a fashion setter for years to come- all the while, history is being made!

3 We re very pleased with our version of this classic design, and though it is a truly luxurious and expensive piece, it s ever so much more affordable than the ring William gave to Kate. Best of all, like Diana and Kate, it s a one-of-a-kind.

http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/07/facebook-fans-remember-charles-and-dianas-royalwedding-day/
BBCAmerica FACEBOOK FANS REMEMBER CHARLES AND DIANA S ROYAL WEDDING DAY

By MacKenzie Wilson | Posted on Friday, July 29th, 2011

Princess Diana and Prince Charles share a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace This day (July 29), thirty years ago, was one straight out of a fairy tale. A reported 750 million people around the globe gathered in front of their TV sets to watch the formerLady Diana Spencer and Charles, Prince of Wales exchange vows at St. Paul s Cathedral. And while we know their union had its share of hardships prior to ending in divorce in 1996, Charles and Diana s royal wedding day is still one to remember. Diana s ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with its 25-foot train, was truly a sight to behold. One cannot forget the couple s kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace or how they sparkled when waving to the throngs of royal watchers collected along The Mall. With Prince William and Catherine s April 29th ceremony still fresh in our minds, we asked our Royal Insider readers to share their fondest memories and thoughts about Charles and Di s big day via Facebook. Here s a look: Heather Jackson: I was only 4, but I remember watching it. I was acting like a princess because I thought I was lol. Mom and I watched it. It was kind of like my late birthday present. Stephanie Matushoneck: I was 14 and my aunt let me sleep on the sofa so I could be ready to go when it started. Both days were magical and beautiful. I try to focus on Diana and what she thought her life would be. While it ended too soon and so tragically, she was blessed with two beautiful sons who loved their mother very much. Jerry Crow: My family was driving home from a family vacation in Utah and we got up early to beat the sun on the drive through Nevada. We listened to it on the radio on the way back to California. JoAnn Rice Weatherly: I was on a photography shoot on a natural gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, and went into the common room before dawn to see if I could pick up the wedding on TV. To my surprise, two big burly platform workers were already in there watching. The three of us enjoyed it together. Katherine Anne Neto: I was 22 years old and looked at Diana as someone to mirror after. At that time, I was unaware of the struggles of being a royal. You must remember that social media did not exist and our reports were mostly in print and TV. I loved the flowers and the dress. Everything was big in the 80s hair, glasses, shoulder pads haha. I followed her until my own wedding six years later and incorporated some of her ideas into my wedding. Here is a funny note: I wore my mother-in-law s wedding dress. When the Duchess of Cambridge walked into the church, I nearly fell off my chair. My dress is almost an exact duplicate. The dress was made in the late 40s and is still beautiful. As for Diana, her legacy will always be cherished. Stacey Aberg Durrell: I was 15 and had a slumber party with my best friends. We stayed up all night and watched everything! I was in love with the fairy tale aspect. William and Kate s was wonderful. And the best part: it s obvious they are in love. You can see love on Diana s face, but not on Charles . Tracey Schmidt Phillips: I was 3 1/2. My mother was in labor with my brother, but she insisted she watch the wedding as well! So my brother s birthday is the same day! Patti Ledgerwood McIlroy: I remember it well. We were living in the Highlands of Scotland at Drumossie Hotel, near Inverness, in a little cottage in the grounds. We watched it on the telly while some goats came in to visit! I mean real goats. Terry Simmons: [I] was on a summer visit at my grandparents home. My grandmother woke us up at 4 am [and] we watched the wedding all the way through. The thing I remember most was the flowers and the huge crowds in London. Dorothy Habben: I, too, got up very early to watch and could not wait to see the bridal gown. It was ALL WRONG, overshadowing Diana, much too fussy and heavy, with those voluminous sleeves and ruffles and that huge skirt.

4 Maybe a sign that the marriage itself was to be all wrong? Kate s gown was perfect. She was radiant and William seemed absolutely enchanted by her. I hope it augurs well for the years to come! Marilyn J Bowen Weitzel: Diana was a beautiful bride/woman. I was sad for her on that day because from the day of the engagement announcement, when Charles said Whatever love means, I knew she was in trouble. Had she been a little older, I believe she would have dumped him. Janice Combs: I remember discussing this in my high school history class. It was really a big topic of discussion back then. Simon Lawrence: Though I was only 5 at the time, I do remember it fondly. It was the first of many royal events I attended. I lived in London and remember waking early so we could be ready in time. I remember the throngs of people that had been waiting for days. There was a sense of pride to be British. Lynn Infante Ware: I was 14 years old and living in a little town in Texas at the time. Although the town was small, the local newspaper had a society section and it covered their courtship and everything. I woke specially at 5 am so that I could watch the whole wedding on TV. It was magical. I later used my own money to buy an official VHS tape of the wedding. I was sorry that the marriage wasn t as magical. It appears at this point that it will be completely different for the Duke and Duchess [of Cambridge]. I certainly hope so! Pamma Sheppard: I was 14 years old and got up way early to watch. I loved every minute of it! William and Kate s was just as nice! Kathleen Cabe: We did get up 4 am for Diana and got up for William and Kate. Both beautiful weddings. Both beautiful brides! This time, I had friends in England, so [I] got to text message with them! It was great to text and talk about what was going on over there. Connie Richolson Erdman: I remember their wedding as if it was yesterday. I had spent the night at my best friend s house and we got up early in the morning to watch the entire wedding. Back then, we did not have a VCR to record it. With Kate and William s wedding, I recorded it. Karen Klein: My husband and I watched the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana when we got home from work. We had only been married a year and I thought it was a beautiful wedding. Sad about how it all turned out. Princess Diana looked beautiful. I really miss her. Catherine s bride dress was stunning, breathtakingly beautiful. I loved seeing Prince William and Catherine so happy and in love. I stayed up half the night to watch. It was fun! Carolyn Hoyt: I believed the fairy tale at the time. [I] took vacation time so I wouldn t miss a minute, and have always been glad for the memory. The wedding of William and Kate was much more sophisticated and very beautiful (except for the amazingly bad taste of the very rich guests). The bride is an adult, not a young girl. That might not be as romantic, but it will probably be a great advantage for her in her new life.

Did you watch Charles and Dianas royal wedding? If so, what are some of your favorite memories? How did it compare to William and Kates nuptials? Tell us here.