THEthe marriage between Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillipscelebrated on Saturday 6 June in All Saints Church in Kemble, redefined the aesthetics of the English royal wedding through a marked linearity. The bride has renounced the classic princely volumes typical of court weddings, preferring a flowing and contemporary silhouette. There signature on the look is that of Emilia WicksteadNew Zealand designer, cornerstone of Kate Middleton’s wardrobe, chosen to give a fresh and sophisticated touch to a ceremony immersed in the Gloucestershire countryside.
Harriet Sperling’s wedding dress: a model that speaks Italian
The central body of the wedding dress of Harriet Sperling, a 45 year old pediatric nurse, consists of a column dress made of ivory silk crepe of Italian manufacture. This fabric choice represents a major departure from the traditional mikado or damask of the British wedding tradition, as the crepe supports movements in a natural way and clean without stiffening the figure. Under the square neckline, the dress develops along a slim line that slims the silhouette, designed to adapt perfectly to an outdoor summer event.
Harriet Sperling in a wedding dress accompanied by her bridesmaids, her daughter Georgina Sperling and her stepdaughter Isla Phillips. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
A Lightweight sheer lace shrug with high neck adds a romantic note to the structure, covering the arms with fully embroidered long sleeves. THE lace motifs reproduce wild flowers typical of the rural areas where the couple grew up, inserting a deep personal symbolism into the fabric. The train is almost three meters long and is directly inspired by nineteenth-century tailoring, finishing with a hand-worked shell edge. «We sought a balance between authenticity, tradition and modernity» explained the designer regarding the hundreds of hours of work necessary in the atelier.
The dispute over the tiara
The choice of jewels confirmed the background on the strong tensions at court which we told you about in recent days. The debate around the tiara has sparked real arguments in the palace: the Queen Camilla – a commoner by origin – had firmly opposed the opening of the royal coffersbelieving that the former nurse’s common heritage made her unsuitable to wear a piece from the Crown collection, despite Peter Phillips’ first wife gaining permission to use Princess Anne’s Festoon Tiara in 2008.
Harriet Sperling’s tiara. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Not even the decisive intervention of Prince William, who took the field to defend the bride and unlock the royal vaults, healed the fracture. Harriet Sperling resolved the stalemate by bypassing royal vetoes and appearing at the altar with the “Pragnell Tiara”a diamond jewel borrowed directly from the well-known Mayfair maison. This is the same company that made it the highlights on the lobes and the bride’s engagement ring. On her feet, the set was completed by personalized ivory satin pumps by Jimmy Choo.
Peter Phillips and the new bride with the bouquet of lilies of the valley. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
The tribute to Elizabeth II in the bouquet of lilies of the valley
The most intimate detail of the entire day was kept in the bride’s bouquet. The compact bunch of lilies of the valley, collected directly in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, follows the composition desired by Queen Elizabeth II for her wedding in 1947 and for the subsequent coronation in 1953. A precise botanical reference that linked the marriage of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling to the memory of the deceased sovereign. Princess Anne’s firstborn was in fact very close to the late queen. An occasion of deep emotion for all those present in memory of a leading figure of the British monarchy.
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