express– Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward said “I do” on June 19, 1999. The wedding took place at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The royal wedding was attended by members of the Royal Family and also watched by the public.
Sophie opted for a white wedding dress designed by Samantha Shaw.
What was the dress like?
The timeless gown had long sleeves, a v-neckline and a full length skirt.
It was made of hand-dyed silk organza and hand-dyed silk crepe covered in pearls and beading.
The wedding dress had a short train and she wore a veil which was longer than the train.
Prince Edward was the last of the Queen’s children to get married.
However, Sophie did not appear to take inspiration from Princess Diana or Sarah Ferguson who had previously married into the family.
While both women had opted for puff sleeves and full skirts, Sophie chose for a more fitted style dress.
The Countess of Wessex also made a royal first with the tiara she wore.
Sophie walked down the aisle sporting the Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet tiara.
Most royals will borrow a diadem for the big day, and Sarah Ferguson had one commissioned and made completely new.
Sophie’s, on the other hand, was designed for her using pieces of a previous royal jewel, Eddie LeVian, CEO of jeweller Le Vian, explained.
He told Express.co.uk: “While Princess Diana wore a tiara that came from the Spencer family and the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson wore a completely new tiara commissioned by the Queen, the tiara Sophie Countess of Wessex wore was a new tiara made up from antique pieces.
“On her wedding day, it came as a surprise to onlookers and jewellery lovers because the tiara had never been seen before.”
The expert added the design was believed to be made up of pieces of Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet.
“The tiara Sophie, Countess of Wessex, wore for her wedding day, the day she became a royal, was commissioned for her by the Queen and is widely believed to have been made up of four pieces of Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet,” he continued.
“In fact, Buckingham Palace has never confirmed the provenance of the tiara, other than noting that it came from the Queen’s private jewellery collection.
“However if you look closely, the tiara is composed of four anthemion elements – these are sections composed of twisting diamond floral motifs, set on a gold frame.
“Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet was made with a set of detachable fleur-de-lis, Maltese cross, and anthemion elements that could be swapped out and rearranged.”
While the exact value of the tiara is not known, it has previously been valued at around £500,000.
