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Who really designed Princess Margaret's wedding dress?
May 6, 2025
Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, on May 6, 1960, in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
As the first royal wedding to be televised, it attracted a worldwide audience of 300 million.
Meanwhile, around half a million spectators lined the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of the princess as she travelled to the Abbey in a glass coach.
Margaret dazzled onlookers in a simple ivory gown, featuring a demure V-neckline, cinched waist and full skirt made from three layers of organza.
Although Norman Hartnell was responsible for crafting the dress, few realise that the design was imagined by her future husband, photographer Lord Snowdon.
In his book Elizabeth & Margaret, Andrew Morton reveals that Antony showcased his artistic flair by sketching the wedding dress before passing it to the couturier.
The author emphasises that the gown's simplicity marked a departure from royal tradition, with no embroidery or embellishment.
'The only glitter came from the Princess' magnificent, diamond Poltimore tiara,' he writes.
Margaret and Antony first crossed paths in April 1956 when he worked as the photographer at the wedding of her friends, Lady Anne Coke and The Hon. Colin Tennant.
However, they properly met two years later at a dinner party hosted by Lady Elizabeth Cavendish in 1958.
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