Key Takeaways

  • Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, which was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, featured a long-sleeve lace appliqué bodice and full organza skirt.
  • The piece reportedly cost $434,000, equivalent to $617,000 today, and was paid for by Kate’s parents.
  • Kate was involved in the design process, drawing inspiration from Grace Kelly’s 1956 wedding dress for her own bridal look.

Kate Middleton’s wedding dress for her nuptials to Prince William is one of the world’s most well-known gowns. Like most designs for royal brides, the planned look was kept a secret from the public until the big day. On April 29, 2011, the bride finally revealed the showstopping look to the public. The iconic piece, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, immediately spurred a number of trends, including long lace sleeves, Victorian-inspired elements, and a subtle V-neck cut. For her ceremony, Kate paired the dress with the Cartier Halo Tiara, a gift from King George VI to his wife, the Queen Mother, in 1936. The piece was loaned to Kate by Queen Elizabeth, making it her “something borrowed.” And in a nod to the tradition of incorporating “something new” into her look, she paired the headpiece with custom pear-cut earrings from Robinson Pelham, a gift from her parents.

Kate collaborated with Burton on the design of her gown, reportedly drawing inspiration from Grace Kelly’s 1956 bridal look for her own big-day ensemble. “It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it,” Burton said on the day of the couple’s nuptials. “I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created.”

Below, we break down everything you need to know about Kate’s iconic wedding dress, including how much it cost, the creation of it, and why she selected Burton as the designer.

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The Making of Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dress

The gown, which was made by embroiderers at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, featured a long-sleeve lace appliqué bodice and full organza skirt. The ensemble’s lace included a number of symbolic motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock, according to the BBC. In an effort to support local businesses, all of the materials used in the creation of the dress were sourced from British companies, the outlet noted. The trend-setting piece featured 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons with Rouleau loops. Burton also included a hidden detail in the frock: A ribbon sewed into the interior for the bride’s “something blue.”

When working on Kate’s wedding gown, the BBC reported that embroiderers were required to wash their hands every 30 minutes—and renew their needles every three hours—to ensure the dress stayed in pristine condition. And while her nine-foot train may not have been as long as Princess Diana’s 25-foot train, Kate’s grand entrance was just as dramatic and showstopping. She donned a silk tulle veil for the royal occasion, securing it in place with her halo tiara.

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How Much Did Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dress Cost?

The total cost of the gown came in at $434,000, equivalent to $617,000 today. According to Hello!, the bride’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, paid for the dress. However, the ensemble was not the most expensive piece worn by a royal bride. Queen Elizabeth’s gown for her 1947 nuptials to Prince Philip reportedly cost $42,000, equivalent to $1.6 million today.

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Who Designed Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dres?

Kate reportedly tapped Burton to craft her wedding dress after seeing an off-the-shoulder gown she made for Sara Buys’s wedding to Tom Parker Bowles, Queen Camilla’s son, in 2005, according to ABC News. Burton had a storied history at Alexander McQueen: After graduating from the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in 1997, Burton started working for the British fashion house. Following McQueen’s death in February 2010, Burton was appointed as the label’s creative director, a position she held until stepping down in September 2023. A year later, in September 2024, Burton became the creative director for Givenchy.

At the time of Kate’s royal nuptials in 2011, the designer said that crafting the piece was “the experience of a lifetime.” In the years since her royal wedding, the princess has turned to Burton to craft a number of showstopping looks for high-profile events, including a dark red gown for a state banquet at Windsor Castle in July 2025. In addition to being the visionary behind Kate’s big-day ensemble, the designer also created Pippa Middleton’s dress for the 2011 affair: an ivory satin-based crepe piece with a cowl neckline.