Elizabeth Emanuel, who designed Princess Diana's wedding dress, has recreated the late princess's iconic 40-foot veil, more than four decades after the original went missing. The replica was commissioned by Renae Plant, founder of the Princess Diana Museum, to mark the 45th anniversary of the royal wedding.
Original veil missing from exhibits
The original veil, designed with her then-husband David Emanuel, was part of Diana's wedding ensemble for her marriage to Prince Charles at St Paul's Cathedral on July 29, 1981. While the wedding gown has been displayed at Kensington Palace and Althorp House, the veil has never been part of these exhibits.
Recreating the 'Veil of Light'
Ms Emanuel worked with London-based embroidery house Hand & Lock, which produced the original veil in 1981, using the initial measurements they had kept. She shared behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram, noting, "Hard to believe it's been 45 years since the royal Wedding! The behind the scenes photos bring back so many memories."
Speaking to People magazine, Ms Emanuel explained the veil's importance: "That's why I call it the Veil of Light. You can see the twinkle, and it radiates. The dress isn't as complete without the veil." She added that with the veil, the dress "looks lighter, and has this airy, delicate feel to it which you don't necessarily appreciate when you see the dress without all of that. It is an integral part of the design."
Tour and original design secrecy
The recreated veil will be part of a collection tour starting in autumn, offering the public a rare glimpse. The original wedding was watched by 750 million people in 74 countries.
David and Elizabeth Emanuel had gone to great lengths to keep the dress design secret, destroying their sketches after showing them to Diana and crafting a backup dress as a precaution. David previously told People magazine: "At the time we wanted to make absolutely sure that the dress was a surprise. We didn't try it on Diana. We never even discussed it. We wanted to make sure that we had something there; it was for our own peace of mind, really." Diana never saw the second dress, which was made from identical fabric and featured ruffles around the neck.
