Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones: 19 June 1999

[AdmirerUS]

The site asks: "Was Sophie's dress a success, or not?"

IMO it was a success. But of course I love everything about Sophie. On that day, I think she shimmered. It was very special. At long last, after innumerable delays, finally she was having her day. Well done.

I though Sophie, to her credit, looked like herself on her wedding day. Too often in HRH weddings the "playing princess" part of the dress overwhelms the bride's personality.
And to this day, Sophie looks like herself in casual and event venues. She's in better shape and picking better silhouettes these days, but she looks like the same old Sophie. Good for her.

 

[Molly2101]

I though Sophie, to her credit, looked like herself on her wedding day. Too often in HRH weddings the "playing princess" part of the dress overwhelms the bride's personality.
And to this day, Sophie looks like herself in casual and event venues. She's in better shape and picking better silhouettes these days, but she looks like the same old Sophie. Good for her.

I agree with this - Sophie (and Edward for his part) looked like themselves on their wedding day - two people who were in love. The wink Edward gave her when she met him at the top of the aisle was very reflective of their relationship. Channel 4 did a documentary on body language about 10 years ago and they compared Prince Charles and Diana's engagement interview and wedding to Edward and Sophie's. The basic analysis was that based on body language Edward and Sophie were deeply in love, whereas Charles and Diana were not. I managed to find it online Channel 4 documentary Body Language: Sex

I was never a fan of Sophie's dress as it was clear that she had lost weight since the initial fitting and I found it odd that it was never altered again to suit her new size. That being said, she looked very happy and that's the main thing. Her bouquet was the best part of her ensemble to be honest - her flowers were beautiful.

I am just glad that this British royal marriage has lasted so long and they put the press to shame who all said they didn't think it would last due to the other marriages. "They say when you marry in June, you're a bride all your life..." Seven Brides for Seven Brothers said it, not me!

 

[Lady Nimue]

Molly, thank you for the above video link. I am enthralled! I recall the analysis of Edward's and Sophie's engagement interview. Must have been a snippet from this show.

 

[casualshopagen]

I love queen's big smile

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The four girls and boys who carried Sophie's train were Camilla Hadden, Olivia Taylor, Felix Sowerbutts, and Harry Warburton. These children were all commoners. This is the first time that this has occurred in a royal wedding.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Is it really so hard to make a brides wedding dress fit? I always hear that she lost weight etc. but there has to he a way to counteract that so the bride isnt swallowed like Sophie and Diana were.

 

[Elly C]

Something I just noticed about this wedding is that the Royal ladies appear to have worn long gowns which is a tradition they had put aside at the weddings of both Charles and Andrew. Is this because it was a late afternoon wedding? I do prefer this tradition which many European royals still have.


Sent from my iPad using The Royals Community mobile app

 

[Jacknch]

Is it really so hard to make a brides wedding dress fit? I always hear that she lost weight etc. but there has to he a way to counteract that so the bride isnt swallowed like Sophie and Diana were.

It may have had something to do with the heavy bead-work on such flimsy fabric - especially around the neck-line. It was a beautiful dress, although the intricate details are hard to see in the photos.

Something I just noticed about this wedding is that the Royal ladies appear to have worn long gowns which is a tradition they had put aside at the weddings of both Charles and Andrew. Is this because it was a late afternoon wedding? I do prefer this tradition which many European royals still have.


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Yes indeed, because of the timings and the late afternoon/early evening reception, longer dresses were more appropriate - of-course there would be no time to do a quick change in the middle!

 

[Denville]

The four girls and boys who carried Sophie's train were Camilla Hadden, Olivia Taylor, Felix Sowerbutts, and Harry Warburton. These children were all commoners. This is the first time that this has occurred in a royal wedding.

really? I though that Di's attendants were commoners. the only one iwht even a courtesy title was Lady Sarah AJ?

 

[Denville]

the tiara was very clunky looking.. too big.. and the dress seemed to be falling all over the place. As I recall the queen had an odd "flapper like" dress too?

 

[Countessmeout]

2 had titles. 2 were straight commoners. The others had aristocratic roots.

pages:
-Lord Nicholas: DOK son
-Edward VC: Charles' godson. Yes rich, and lived in Amner, but commoner

flower girls:
-Lady Sarah Chatto: Margarret's daughter
-India Hicks: daughter of Lady Pamela Mountbatten
-Catherine Cameron- female line granddaughter of Marquis of Lothian
-Clementine Hambro-female line great-granddaughter of Churchill
-Sarah-Jane Gaselee-commoner, father was racing friend of Charles

Sarah was the one with the heavy named bridal party but again not all.

flower:
-Zara- no title but RF
-Laura Fellows- Diana's niece, noble blood on both sides
-Rosanna- daughter of the Duke of Roxburghe
-Alice- Sarah's half-sister
Page:
-Prince William
-Peter Philipps
-her nephew Seamus
-her half brother Andrew

Anne had 1 each, Lady Sarah and Prince Edward.

I think the poster meant that it was the first time that None of the kids came from an aristocratic family. Not that first time All of them didn't.

Generation back would have been even rarer. The queen had 2 princesses (hr sister and Alexandra), 3 ladies (Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambart and Lady Caroline MDS), 3 honorables (Honorable Pamela Mountbatten, Margarat Elphinstone and Diana Bowes-Lyon) and 2 Princes (William of Gloucester and Michael of Kent).

Margarat: (not sure she had pages, Philip gave her away)
-Princess Anne
-Marilyn Wills-granddaughter of Margarat's Aunt Lady Elphinstone
-Annabel Rhodes- another granddaughter of Lady Elphinstone
-Virginia Fitzroy- daughter of the Earl of Euston
-Sarah Lowthar- daughter of Sir John Lothar
-Catherine Vessi- daughter of Viscount de Vesci
-Lady Rose- daughter of the Duke of Abergavenney

 

[Countessmeout]

the tiara was very clunky looking.. too big.. and the dress seemed to be falling all over the place. As I recall the queen had an odd "flapper like" dress too?

I don't know. But then again I think Sophie's more "Renaissance fair' then 'flapper'.

The Queen celebrates 65 years of marriage | Articles - Easy Weddings

 

[Denville]

I don't know. But then again I think Sophie's more "Renaissance fair' then 'flapper'.

The Queen celebrates 65 years of marriage | Articles - Easy Weddings

her overall look wasn't great, IMO. It didn't seem very coherent.. the whole wedding had that feel of "we're trying to go downmarket". The dress was pretty, but the tiara looked too clunky or chunky. I think a small graceful tiara would have been better, either a simple circlet or "crescent style"..

 

[Blog Real]

ROYAL WEDDING 1999 - Edward & Sophie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojEWiSBrTpI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYboM-5zZyE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wgGtaSiuSc&t=316s

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Sophie wore a necklace with a cross. Were the white beads pearls? What were the green beads?

 

[EllieCat]

Sophie wore a necklace with a cross. Were the white beads pearls? What were the green beads?

There were white pearls and black pearls, same with the earrings. She still wears the earrings but I've only ever seen the necklace once again, about a year after the wedding.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

EllieCat, Thank you for the information about the pearls. How could the black pearls have looked like green?

 

[Lady Nimue]

Sophie was such a beautiful bride. I loved everything about the wedding, even Edward's snazzy duds. Everything blended so well, and of course they were so obviously in-love and in-friendship. Can't get better than that.

ROYAL WEDDING 1999 - Edward & Sophie.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

There were white pearls and black pearls, same with the earrings. She still wears the earrings but I've only ever seen the necklace once again, about a year after the wedding.

IIRC some people not liking the necklace and speaking ill of Edwards attempts to design. It definitely wasn't a pretty necklace but the sentiment was nice.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

A lady and I were discussing the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones. The lady wondered if there was a specific reason that they did not have their wedding at Westminster Abbey?

 

[Pranter]

A lady and I were discussing the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones. The lady wondered if there was a specific reason that they did not have their wedding at Westminster Abbey?

I don't think they wanted to be married there or they would of been.



LaRae

 

[Countessmeout]

A lady and I were discussing the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones. The lady wondered if there was a specific reason that they did not have their wedding at Westminster Abbey?

The wedding is meant to be a relatively low-key affair, with no ceremonial state or military involvement. No politicians - not even Mr Blair - will be present, underlining the couple's wish for their day not to be a state occasion.

BBC News | royal wedding | Edward and Sophie's big day

Married in WA they would have been expected to have a wedding like Andrew or Anne's first wedding was. They wished to avoid this and have a more private family wedding (filmed and all),

 

[suztav]

You have to remember that the 70s and 80s were very different times in England. I think the notion of “moderation” was more in tune with the late 1990s. JMHO

 

[CrownPrincessJava]

Their wedding was also during the time when the Royal Family was unpopular due to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (Her death was only 2 years prior). I believe that is one of the reasons why they scale it back as much as they did.

 

[Stefan]

Their wedding was also during the time when the Royal Family was unpopular due to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (Her death was only 2 years prior). I believe that is one of the reasons why they scale it back as much as they did.

And after all the divorces of hi siblings and the scandals around the divorces.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Their wedding was also during the time when the Royal Family was unpopular due to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (Her death was only 2 years prior). I believe that is one of the reasons why they scale it back as much as they did.

Obviously Edward and Sophie did not marry at St. Paul's Cathedral, where Lady Diana wed Prince Charles. Otherwise a wedding a St. Paul's might have been a state occasion.

 

[Countessmeout]

Obviously Edward and Sophie did not marry at St. Paul's Cathedral, where Lady Diana wed Prince Charles. Otherwise a wedding a St. Paul's might have been a state occasion.

Edward and Sophie would never have had a state wedding even if they wanted. State weddings are in the UK for the monarch and heir. Even William's was only classified as a semi-state wedding. He may have got a wedding like Andrew and Anne, with all the official guests and pomp, but it would not be a 'state wedding'.

Location doesn't play a role. St Paul's was never an option. Charles and Diana married at St Paul's as they needed the space. They had 3500 guests. Its the only church that could house that many guests.

If he had the pomp wedding of his brother and sister, Edward would have married at Westminster. WA is the church for royal weddings, funerals, coronations and other significant moments. If not for the size of their guest list, Charles and Diana would have wed there as well.

 

[Claire]

Hello, does anyone have close up photos of the Countess of Wessex’s wedding dress? Or photos showing details of it _ I understand that very little was released and not much shown is this true? I have never seen the dress under the coat dress _ was the dress ever exhibited at Kensington? Do you think buckingham palace would assist me if I asked ?

 

[Denville]

There were pictures of the wedding... and the tiara etc... I dont remember much about the wedding as it wasn't all that big a thing, due to being at Windsor and consciously being a smaller affair than other royal weddings.

 

[swimmerkid]

I always thought Sophie's veil was stunning, cant say I was wild about her dress but it was still pretty, and it was very 90s in terms of being minimalist on trend.

As for the wedding day itself, I thought it was a lovely service and very them, glad they made it more low key than going overboard with pomp, brass bands etc.

Its interesting looking back at the old photos, and seeing how young William, Harry, Beatrice, Eugenie, Zara and Peter were, especially knowing that they are (or were) all married themselves now.