The Enduring Elegance Of Princess Catherine’s Royal Wedding Style

It’s hard to believe the Prince and Princess of Wales’ wedding was 15 years ago. I was in London for the event on April 29, 2011. It was a magical time in the city, and a historic day for fashion thanks to Princess Catherine’s instantly iconic wedding dress created by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.

The design of the dress was a perfect marriage of old and new details which is exactly the aesthetic so many brides want today. The gown featured an ivory satin bodice, padded slightly at the hips, nipped at the waistline, and was inspired by the Victorian tradition of corsetry which Alexander McQueen is famous for. Take a deeper dive into the particulars of Princess Catherine’s royal wedding dress here in our The Story Of  feature.

Looking back at Princess Catherine’s wedding style, it is still extremely on point today. Here are five trending details of her look modern brides are embracing in 2026.

Intricate lace

The Princess of Wales’ wedding gown was crafted of the most exquisite handmade lace which imbued the dress with an air of old Hollywood glamour inspired by another famous royal bride, Grace Kelly. Today, the heirloom fabric is having massive moment with brides-to-be who are looking to embrace an elegant, vintage-inspired vibe with their wedding style

Tiaras

Princess Catherine’s something borrowed was the stunning Cartier Halo tiara from Queen Elizabeth II’s glittering collection. She made a bridal style statement with the dazzling piece and put this regal accessory back on the wedding-must list. In 2026 tiaras are also not just for brides; they’ve become the go-to party accessory for cool girls like Lily Allen and Dylan Mulvaney.

Sleeves

Princess Catherine singlehandedly brought sleeves back to bridal in 2011, and designers are still having a love affair with them. At the recent Spring 2027 bridal collections presented in New York, we spotted sleeves of all shapes, sizes and lengths—cap, wrist-length, blouson, balloon, bracelet length and more.

Dramatic Veils 

When Princess Catherine stepped out of her Rolls Royce at Westminster Abbey, she was radiant beneath her tulle, two-tier drop veil adorned with scalloped lace and hand embroidered floral details by the Royal School of Needlework. Romantic, diaphanous veils have been a mainstay of bridal looks since the royal wedding. Recent fashionable brides who’ve rocked a major veil include Kourtney Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Sofia Richie.

Peplums

The peplum was popularized in the Renaissance era and rose to fame in the 1940s thanks to Christian Dior. The Princess of Wales’ dress had a very subtle half peplum that cascaded down the back of her wedding dress. The peplum has remined a popular detail for bridal designers today who love incorporating it into more structured dress silhouettes to add an air of regality.