The debut of Kate Middleton's wedding dress is, by far, one of the most iconic fashion moments in royal history. With its intricate embroidery and nine-foot train, the elegant Alexander McQueen number has officially joined the ranks of stunning wedding gowns worn by Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana. And while royal enthusiasts may think that they know everything about Middleton's iconic look during her nuptials to Prince William, there's one fascinating detail that they might've missed.
If you look closely at the embroidery on the duchess's gown, you'll notice that there are floral designs along the sleeves and bodice—but those flowers weren't chosen randomly. Per HuffPost, the official royal wedding website confirmed that these embellishments were added as a tribute to the four countries in the United Kingdom.
The statement read, "Individual flowers have been hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design, which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock." As it turns out, each is an emblem of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, respectively.
The Victorian-inspired dress was designed by Sarah Burton, and it was made with ivory and white satin gazar. And according to the royal website, Middleton "wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen's work. Miss Middleton worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress."
Lucky fans got an up-close and personal look at the creation back in 2011, when the dress was temporarily put on display at Buckingham Palace after Middleton's wedding.
Leave it to Kate to incorporate a meaningful tribute on her special day.
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