A Bridesmaid Dress Worn at the Late Queen Elizabeth's 1947 Wedding Sells For $48,420

The bespoke Norman Hartnell ivory gown was worn by Lady Elizabeth Lambart.

Art technician adjusts a royal bridesmaid's dress by Norman Hartnell, 1947 from the Wedding of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh (estimate: £30,000-50,000), the only one of the bridesmaids dresses to come to the market, it was worn by the late Lady Elizabeth Longman.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A gown worn during the late Queen Elizabeth's wedding to Prince Philip  was just sold at auction for a—you guessed it—royal amount of money.

Recently, a bespoke Norman Hartnell ivory gown worn by Lady Elizabeth Lambard—a childhood friend of the late Queen who served as a bridesmaid during then-Princess Elizabeth's 1947 nuptials—sold for an astounding $48,420 at Christie's auction house during the Classic Week of sales in London.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to acquire an evocative and rare example of royal fashion history," Benedict Winter, a specialist for Christie's auction house, said in a written statement released ahead of the sale via Christie's website.

"With its delicate design, beautiful embroidery and exquisite sense of movement, this elegant dress epitomizes the glamor of Sir Norman’s commissions and the hope that the wedding of the late Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh gave to post-war Britain," the specialist added.

Art technician adjusts a royal bridesmaid's dress by Norman Hartnell, 1947 from the Wedding of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh.

Art technician adjusts a royal bridesmaid's dress by Norman Hartnell, 1947 from the Wedding of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

According to the same written statement, Lady Elizabeth "grew up in the orbit of the royal family and knew Princess Elizabeth from an early age."

"Both girls attended the same dance school and were part of the Buckingham Palace Girl Guides Company," Winter added. "I imagine it would have been a wonderful honor to serve as a bridesmaid at the royal wedding."

Lady Elizabeth was so close to the royal family, in fact, that she is said to have considered both Queen Mary and Princess Mary her godmothers.

"Lady Elizabeth was born into a now almost lost world of inter-war aristocratic privilege," Winter explained in the written statement.

During the 1947 royal ceremony, Lady Elizabeth and seven additional bridesmaids stood beside the late Queen on her big day. According to the written statement, the bridesmaids all wore "ivory dresses featuring scoop necklines, ruched bodices and flowing tulle skirts."

"These were embellished with clusters of satin flowers designed by Flora Ballard and woven by Warner & Sons," the statement continued. "Floral satin headdresses with ears of corn, lilies and silver lamé leaves complemented the look."

Members of the British royal family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten.

Members of the British royal family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The historic bridesmaid's dresses were designed by royal couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, and prior to the auction were expected to fetch anywhere between $38,000 and $63,000, thanks in part to a substantial interest from collectors of both royal history and vintage couture.

Hartnell also famously designed Queen Elizabeth's wedding gown as well as her 1963 coronation gown.

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.

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