Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Princess Eugenie Marries Jack Brooksbank In Peter Pilotto

An estimated two billion people tuned in to watch Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry and become the Duchess of Sussex on May 19 2018. Now the spotlight is on Princess Eugenie.

The Queen's granddaughter married her long-term boyfriend, Jack Brooksbank, today at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle – the same 15th-century place of worship where her cousin performed his vows earlier this year.

Anticipation might not have been as high surrounding what the young royal would wear in comparison to Markle, a former television star. But Eugenie walked down the aisle in front of 800 guests – 200 more than Meghan – and the ceremony was still broadcast to millions of viewers. And so, for her turn in front of the watching nation, the youngest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York chose Peter Pilotto.

Eugenie worked closely with Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, the duo behind the 2007-founded label, on the design. The London-based brand carried out extensive archive research into previous dresses worn by members of the royal family and finally settled on a corseted silhouette with full pleated skirt. The neckline that folds around the shoulders to a low back and flowing train was a specific request from Eugenie who had surgery at the age of 12 to correct scoliosis.


The gown also featured symbols that are personal to Eugenie and Brooksbank – a thistle to acknowledge the couple's fondness for Balmoral, a shamrock as a nod to the bride's roots, and a rose and ivy to represent the couple's home.

The Greville emerald Kokoshnik tiara, lent to Eugenie by the Queen, but made originally by Boucheron for Mrs Greville in 1919, and diamond and emerald drop earrings, which were a wedding gift from the groom, provided an elegant mix of old and new jewellery for her. Charlotte Olympia heels, meanwhile, acted as another nod to the country's fashion talent.

While Markle’s choice of Givenchy wedding dress was hailed as a signifier of the modernity she would bring to the royal family, Eugenie’s gown is a symbol that, as eighth in line to the throne, she is afforded greater freedom to forge her own path as a royal in the spotlight. But, despite this, she uses her platform to shine a spotlight on the history that has defined her and the British creative industries that she is a part of.

“It's hard to navigate situations like these because there is no precedent, there is no protocol,” she told Vogue’s Ellie Pithers in the December issue. But on her wedding day, the princess looked every inch the part that she has decided upon for herself – a bona fide career woman, who juggles her role as director of a contemporary art gallery, along with her royal obligations, philanthropic ventures and duties to her family.

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