The Most Beautiful Royal Bridal Veils of All Time

Lauren HubbardSat, April 11, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC

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The Most Beautiful Royal Wedding VeilsGetty Images

For many brides, the veil is an essential part of a wedding look; one last touch of romantic fantasy to cap off their special day. But for all of the beauty of a classic cascade of tulle, no one does a truly dramatic bridal veil quite like royalty. Yards of trailing gossamer, hand-embellished by the finest artisans, often imbued with special personal symbolism for the couple and their country, royal wedding veils take things to the next level as both articles of fashion and pieces of history.

Here, we take a look back at some of the most beautiful examples of all time.

1) Princess Diana

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Referred to in its time as “the wedding of the century,” Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding to then-Prince Charles naturally demanded an absolutely show-stopping veil. For that, Britain’s oldest embroidery atelier, S. Lock (now Hand & Lock) artisan Peggy Umpleby undertook 007-level secrecy to hand sew the 40 feet of tulle with 10,000 mother-of-pearl sequins—going so far as to pretend to take a two week vacation while privately working on the veil day and night at home.

Diana secured the veil with her family’s Spencer tiara.

2) Kate Middleton

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For her 2011 wedding to Prince William, Kate Middleton’s veil paid subtle patriotic tribute to the UK. Designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and hand embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework, the tulle veil featured motifs of roses, thistles, daffodils, and shamrocks in honor of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland respectively. She paired it with the Cartier Halo tiara, which the future Princess of Wales borrowed from Queen Elizabeth.

3) Queen Elizabeth II

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In 1947, then-Princess Elizabeth wed Philip Mountbatten, the Duke of Edinburgh. Coming just two short years after the end of WWII, the floral motifs of roses, jasmine, and wheat featured in both her dress and veil (designed by Norman Hartnell, who would also later design her coronation gown) was “inspired by the sense of rebirth and renewal” according to the Royal Collection Trust.

4) Meghan Markle

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At her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle awed fans with a statement-making veil designed by Clare Waight Keller. The 16-foot-long wedding veil was worked through with flowers representing each of the 53 Commonwealth countries as well as a wintersweet flower representing Kensington Palace and a poppy representing her native California. In addition to the homage to her homes, old and new, the veil also featured a sentimental “something blue” in the form of a bit of fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Harry.

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5) Princess Margaret

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While the future Queen Elizabeth opted for a symbolic veil for her wedding, her younger sister, Princess Margaret, took a more modern approach for her 1960 wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones. Though Margaret’s veil was also designed by Norman Hartnell who crafted Elizabeth’s, Margaret’s unembellished veil showed off the Poltimore Tiara, which she purchased for herself at auction the year before.

6) Grace Kelly

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When movie star Grace Kelly married Prince Ranier III of Monaco in 1956, their wedding was a fairy tale by way of Hollywood, complete with costuming. Designed by MGM costume designer Helen Rose, Kelly’s bridal look included a veil made with antique Brussels lace, embellished with tiny pearls and embroidered birds. Rather than a tiara, the veil was secured with a lace Juliet cap featuring faux blossoms.

7) Queen Mary of Denmark

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Australian Mary Donaldson lived out many girls’ princess dreams at her royal wedding to then-Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004. While many royal ladies choose to nod to history with their veils, Mary opted for a true piece of history with hers, wearing an heirloom Irish lace veil that was first worn by Frederik’s great-grandmother Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden in 1905.

8) Princess Charlene of Monaco

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In 2011, former Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock married Prince Albert II of Monaco in a lavish wedding to envy that of Albert’s parents, Princes Ranier and Grace Kelly. Like her late mother-in-law before her, Charlene eschewed the traditional tiara to secure the veils for her Giorgio Armani-designed gown, instead pulling her hair back with a set of diamond hair clips lent to her by Albert’s sister, Princess Caroline. The clips originally belonged to Caroline’s grandmother, Princess Charlotte. “I did have a tiara made by Van Cleef & Arpels but I decided to put it on display at the Oceanographic Museum,” Charlene told Vogue at the time of the wedding.

9) Queen Letizia of Spain

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Spain’s Queen Letizia’s Manuel Pertegaz-designed wedding gown for her 2004 wedding to King Felipe currently holds the record for the most expensive royal wedding dress, valued at over $10 million, according tot the Guinness Book of World Records. Included in that count, the 15 foot silk tulle veil embroidered with floral motifs that Letizia reportedly received as a gift from Felipe.

10) Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh

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When she married Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son, Prince Edward, in 1999 Sophie Rhys-Jones stunned in an ivory silk organza wedding dress by Samantha Shaw. To complete the look, Sophie wore a crystal beaded veil with a unique tiara which was crafted with pieces from Queen Elizabeth’s private collection. Though it’s never been confirmed, it’s widely speculated that the topper was made using pieces from a circlet owned by Queen Victoria.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”