Wedding dress of Princess Beatrice
On the event of her wedding to Prince Henry of Battenberg at Saint Mildred's Church at Whippingham, near Osborne, on 23 July 1885, Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom wore a wedding dress of white satin, trimmed with orange blossom and lace, the lace overskirt held by bouquets of the blossom entwined with white heather. There was lace on the pointed neck line, and on the sleeves, for the Princess was a lover of, and an expert on, lace. One of her most treasured possessions was a tunic of old point d'Alencon which had belonged to Catherine of Aragon. Knowing her daughter's love of lace, the Queen allowed Princess Beatrice to wear the Honiton lace and veil which she herself had worn on her wedding day. It was a very precious possession to the Queen, and Princess Beatrice was the only one of her daughters to be given the opportunity to wear it. Her veil was emblazoned with a diamond circlet with diamond stars, a marriage gift from her mother.[1]
She was accompanied by ten royal bridesmaids dressed in ivory gowns. Her bridesmaids were her nieces Princesses Louise, Victoria and Maud of Wales, Irene and Alix of Hesse; Marie, Victoria Melita, and Alexandra of Edinburgh, Helena Victoria and Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein.[2]
St. Mildred's in Whippingham, where the couple was married, has a replica of the wedding dress worn by Princess Beatrice which, along with photographs from the wedding , can be viewed by visitors. [3]
References
- ↑ David Duff. The shy princess: The life of Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter and constant companion of Queen Victoria, Muller, 1974.
- ↑ Identified from wedding photographs Prince and Princess of Battenberg
- ↑ St. Mildred's Church Exhibit on the wedding of Princess Beatrice
