Royal Love: Exploring the Fairytale Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip first met in 1934 at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark to Prince George, Duke of Kent. She was only 8 years old. Later she toured the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, he was the young officer assigned to escort her around that day. She was 13 while Philip was 5 years older at 18 and about to join the Royal Navy.  Determined to marry for love, Elizabeth was said to be taken with Philip who was described at the time as ‘handsome as any film star.’ The pair were soon writing letters to each other and later, occasional chaperoned meetings took place.

In 1946, Philip asked Elizabeth's father, King George VI, for her hand in marriage. He agreed under the condition that the proposal would remain a secret until Elizabeth's 21st birthday. 

Philip proposed while they were in Scotland, Elizabeth immediately said Yes. Philip gave her a three-carat diamond ring he designed using stones taken from a family tiara that belonged to his mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg. It was created by London jeweler, Philip Antrobus Ltd. The couple obliged her father’s request and their engagement was formally announced on July 9, 1947. Their wedding was planned in just four months.

 The Wedding took place at 10.30am on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey.  Together with her father, Princess Elizabeth left Buckingham Palace in the Irish State Coach. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, and the Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett.  Over 2,000 guests attended the nuptials at Westminster Abbey—but the wedding captured the attention of the world. The wedding ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio to 200 million people worldwide. Plus, thousands of royal fans lined the streets of London to celebrate the special day. 

Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress by designer Norman Hartnell had an opulent design. The long sleeve gown was made of duchesse satin with a heart-shaped neckline, a V-pointed waist and a paneled skirt. The dress was inspired by Botticelli's famous painting Primavera, as seen through motifs of star lilies and orange blossoms. The luxe fabric was embellished with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls. It also had a 15-foot silk tulle train, which was attached at the shoulders. To complete the look, the bride wore ivory duchesse satin heels. Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress was symbolic for UK citizens. Botticelli's Primavera painting depicts hope and rebirth. While the image was created around 1480, its representation on the future queen's wedding dress served as a sign of hope for those in Britain recovering from post-war austerity.

Elizabeth’s simple wedding ring was created from a nugget of Welsh gold that was gifted to The Queen Mother. Use of this nugget is an ongoing tradition carried on through the newest generation of royals who've married in recent decades, like Princess Anne, Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.

It's only fitting that the future Queen of England enjoyed a grandiose wedding cake on her big day. The newlyweds actually received 11 cakes, but the official dessert was created by McVitie and Price. The lavish confection was baked with ingredients from around the world, like sugar from the Girl Guides in Australia. (This ingredient led to the cake's nickname, "The 10,000 Mile Cake.") The four-foot dessert was decorated with the arms of both families, as well as monograms for the bride and groom. The creators also included sugar figures of the couple's favorite activities, as well as their regimental and naval badges. The cake-cutting moment was just as grand as the design. The dessert was sliced with Prince Philip's Mountbatten sword—a wedding gift from his father-in-law, King George VI.

All royal bridal bouquets contain myrtle from a myrtle bush planted by Queen Victoria at Osborne House. Princess Elizabeth’s also had white orchids and it was laid on the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey the day after the wedding, as is royal tradition. All royal brides leave their bouquets with the Unknown Warrior.

After the wedding day, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip departed on their honeymoon—but they weren't alone. The newlyweds, along with Queen Elizabeth's corgi, Susan, began their post-wedding getaway at Prince Philip's uncle's house in Broadlands, Hampshire. The royal couple notably stayed close to home due to post-war-related constraints. They spent the rest of their honeymoon at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate, one of the most private residences belonging to the royal family.

Five years later Elizabeth was crowned Queen. She had the longest reign of any British Monarchy, over 70 years. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's marriage lasted just over 73 years. Another record for them of having the longest marriage of any royalty. She was a wonderful Queen, very devoted to her country and people. She gives Philip a lot of the praise for her longevity, because he was so supportive of her. They survived many ups and downs in their marriage and came out stronger in the end. They left a lasting legacy of love for their family and the world. The fairytale wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip turned into a lasting relationship.