Here’s Why Princess Diana Never Knew About Her Backup Wedding Dress: ‘It Was a Complete Secret’

The fairy-tale wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, remains etched in history as one of the most iconic royal events. However, what many don’t know is what occurred behind the curtains of the royal wedding. As per the sources, there was a secret backup wedding dress crafted by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, the design team responsible for Diana’s majestic bridal gown. The backup gown was born out of caution and meticulous planning, as Elizabeth Emanuel once revealed in an interview. The idea originated from a sense of responsibility and desire to ensure that no unforeseen circumstances would mar the grand royal wedding. Elizabeth shared, "Neither of us wanted to worry her. It was a complete secret."

This decision was driven by a bit of neurosis, as Elizabeth feared potential mishaps as she revealed, "I was a bit neurotic, and I thought, 'What happens if somebody breaks in and steals the dress or something spills or there's a fire or it gets stolen?’ So I thought, 'I'm gonna make a backup dress.'” The backup dress, while not as immaculate as Diana’s iconic gown with its 25-foot train, was a testament to Elizabeth’s craftsmanship and attention to detail. Elizabeth added, "It’s what made the dress so spectacular — it’s larger than life. I just thought, ‘If anything happens we’ll finish it off and have it ready…it likely ended up on some sample rail. It probably got reused, torn up, thrown out, who knows? I call it the dress that never was."

Interestingly, the inspiration for the backup dress came from a pink gown the Emanuels had created for Princess Diana to wear at a private ball before her wedding. Despite never being worn by Diana, the recreated backup dress is honoring its presence at the virtual Princess Diana Museum, thanks to Elizabeth's efforts to reproduce it. Renae Plant (the museum's director and curator) shared, "We never got to see that dress on Diana and thought it would be lovely to envision it. You cannot put a price tag on history," as per the reports of People magazine.

Elizabeth's memories of Diana's interactions with the studio staff paint a picture of a bride-to-be finding solace amidst the whirlwind of preparations. She recalled, "She would go upstairs and chat with all the seamstresses. She loved browsing through the rails because this was a new world for her. We could hear the people outside cheering. Everybody was happy and smiling. It really was a fairy-tale wedding. "

Looking ahead, Elizabeth shared, "I’m going to try and capture the spirit of the original — but through my eyes now. I want to preserve all the sparkles and pearls but with a completely different vision."