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    1. Style

    Kate Middleton’s wedding dress included a secret message

    Penny Goldstone's avatar
    By Penny Goldstone
    Published 28 April 2021 In News

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    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    It seems forever ago that Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, and that she finally revealed her wedding dress after months of speculation.

    The Givenchy gown took an incredible 3,900 hours to make, and featured a veil embroidered with 53 flour and fauna to represent the Commonwealth countries, an idea from Clare Waight Keller which Meghan was immediately taken with.

    Believe it or not, this isn't the first time a secret symbol has been embroidered in a royal's gown: Kate Middleton's wedding dress.

    Kate Middleton chose Alexander McQueen for her wedding day, following advice from this famous face. The dress was designed by Sarah Burton, and featured a symbolic detail you might have missed.

    The floral embroidery on her sleeves was a tribute to the United Kingdom, according to HuffPost. The motif included roses, daffodils, thistles, and shamrocks, which are the national emblems of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

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    They were also embroidered using a 17th-century Irish lace-making technique called Carrickmacross, another nod to the nation.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    Penny Goldstone
    Penny Goldstone
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    Contributing Fashion Editor

    Penny Goldstone is the Contributing Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK. She writes about catwalk trends and the latest high street and Instagram sartorial must-haves. She also helms the Women Who Win franchise.

    She has worked in fashion for over 10 years, contributing to publications such as Cosmopolitan, Red, Good Housekeeping, and Stylist.

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