Wedding of Sofia of Greece and Juan Carlos of Spain, 1962

In Athens on 14th May 1962, Princess Sofia of Greece married Prince Juan Carlos of Spain in two cermonies, a Catholic service followed by a Greek Orthodox service. The engagement between the couple had been announced on 12th December 1961. image The wedding was attended by over 150 members of various royal families throughout Europe. image The wedding festivites included a garden party hosted by the couple for people who had travelled from Spain and a pre-wedding banquet. image

The bride wore a stunning gown of silver satin lame covered in lace and tulle with a twenty foot long train that was designed by the Greek couturier Jean Dessés. image Sofia’s mother, Queen Frederica, gave her daughter a fifteen foot long veil which she had used for her own wedding to Prince Paul of Greece in 1938. image To hold the veil in place Sofia choose the Prussian diamond tiara given to her by Queen Frederica of Greece. image Sofia lent this tiara 42 years later to Letizia Oritz on the occasion of her marriage to the Prince of Asturias in May 2004. The eight bridesmaids included Princess Irene of The Netherlands, Princess Alexandra of Kent and Princess Anne Marie of Denmark. image Anne Marie, according to reports, caught the bride’s bouquet and in 1964 she married Sofia’s brother, Constantine.

The wedding dress along with those worn by Infanta Elena, Infanta Christina and Letizia Ortiz, was put on display at the Museum in the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.
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More information and pictures can be found in this thread. The photo is from the Royal Forums avatar collection.

Filed under Spain
Tagged Fashion, Juan Carlos I of Spain, Prussian Diamond Tiara, Queen Sofia of Spain, Wedding, Wedding Anniversary.