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Love and royalty have been intertwined throughout history, and nothing exemplifies this more than the extravagant royal weddings that have taken place over the centuries. From opulent ball gowns to towering wedding cakes and priceless jewels, the world's most affluent royals have spared no expense in making their nuptials a true spectacle. Let’s delve into the world of wedding royalty and uncover the top 10 most expensive royal weddings in history. Get ready to be dazzled by the glamor and grandeur that only royalty can bring!
Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones - $212,000
Princess Margaret's royal wedding was immortalized despite her short marriage to Antony Armstrong-Jones. BBC News stated on May 6, 1960, the royal wedding was the first to be televised. The groom wasn't poor. Their ceremony was not meek. It was huge. Express reported that the wedding cost $40,000. Inflation would make the number about $212,000 today.
Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly - $2 Million
Monaco hosted a lavish royal wedding for an American "commoner" in 1956. On April 18, 1956, Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III. The princess and prince of Monaco in St. Nicholas Church in Monaco. Before marrying the prince, her father, millionaire Jack Kelly, had to offer a $2 million dowry. "My daughter doesn't have to pay any man to marry her," her furious father told Express. He contributed $2 million to wedding costs. Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly's wedding was simply extravagant.
Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling - $2.63 Million
Crown Princess Victoria married Daniel Westling in 2010. The Telegraph stated that the celebrations will extend for many days. Almost 5 million viewers watched the couple's wedding. 200,000 people visited the city to see the bride and groom. A month before the royal wedding, Sweden's The Local estimated the cost at 20 million kronor, or $2.63 million. Swedish royal treasurer Jan Lindman said 10 million kronor would come "from the government" taxpayers and "the remainder" would be the king's responsibility. "Guests need food, beverages, and entertainment. Rearrange the palace furniture and clean the old hall," he said.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank - $3.3 Million
Princess Eugenie married longtime partner Jack Brooksbank after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. Harry and Meghan married at Windsor Castle's George's Chapel. In an Express interview, Bridebook creator Hamish Shephard estimated the princess' wedding cost. Hamish estimates the royal wedding cost $3.3 million, including caterers, flowers, entertainment, and police presence. Harper's Bazaar claimed that princess Eugenie's bridal gown alone cost the royal family $135,000 and that's low. "It's probable that her gown is being produced exclusively for her, and that fabrics were acquired wherever necessary," the journal said.
Prince Pavlos of Greece and Marie-Chantal Miller - $8 Million
Compared to Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Marie-Chantal Miller's wedding, a few million dollars is nothing. The pair married in 1995 at St. Sophia's Church in London, despite not being royal. Miller donned a "pearl-encrusted Valentino gown" with a 13-foot Chantilly lace train, which took 25 seamstresses four months to make, according to Vogue. The late florist and event planner Robert Isabell built "a Greek temple and garden" for the royal wedding, according to a 1996 New York Times article. The prince's parents' wedding cost $8 million, the outlet stated.
Prince William and Kate Middleton - $34 Million
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal wedding was expensive. Their 2011 wedding cost £23.7 million (about $34 million), according to Business Insider. CBS News said that security cost all but $2 million. Kate's $434,000 Alexander McQueen gown cost most of the spare money. Kate's family reportedly helped pay for the couple's wedding, even though the British royal family usually does. According to Vanity Fair, the Middleton family contributed a "six-figure gift" to the couple's wedding.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle - $42.8 Million
May 2018's royal wedding cost a lot. It cost more than William and Kate's wedding. Bridebook, a wedding planning service, estimated that the couple's wedding would cost "almost 100 times" the average U.K. wedding, not including "£30 million planned security expenditures." The couple's wedding cost $42.8 million. St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle was the most expensive location after security. "As was the case with The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Royal Family will pay for the fundamental parts of the wedding, such as the church service, the associated music, flowers, decorations, and the reception afterward," Harry's communications secretary said.
Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock - $70 Million
In 2011, Monaco's Prince Albert II married Charlene Wittstock. "It was a much-needed sprinkling of stardust for the Grimaldi family, harking back to the happy day, 55 years ago, when Albert's late father, Prince Rainier, married Hollywood beauty Grace Kelly," the Los Angeles Times said. Like Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly's royal wedding, the modern couple's wedding was extravagant. According to the publication, the wedding costs tallied up to $70 million. Rumors overshadowed the wedding's grandeur. Some said Wittstock had cold feet and would cancel. However, they married and are still together.
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer - $110 Million
The royal couple's 1981 wedding was the most expensive British royal wedding ever. According to Business Insider, the wedding may have cost $110 million after inflation, making it roughly four times more expensive than Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding. Lady Diana's wedding gown cost six figures. For various reasons, Town & Country valued her outfit at $115,000. Diana's veil was longer than her wedding dress's 25-foot train. This wedding became the "wedding of the century" due to the high cost of the venue, décor, and flowers.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Princess Salama - $100 Million
According to Rarest, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi and Princess Salama of the United Arab Emirates enjoyed one of the most extravagant weddings ever in 1981. By today's standards, it would have cost over $100 million — more than Prince Charles and Princess Diana's 1981 wedding. The sheik's parents erected a 20,000-seat stadium for the occasion, Forbes said. The sheik celebrated with his citizens in every town in the emirate for a week on horseback. This is the most lavish wedding ever!
Sources: The List, Hello Magazine, Lifestyle Asia