Where Are Royal Wedding Gowns Stored?

[carlota]

I would like to know where the royal wedding dresses get “stored” after royal weddings. Who keeps them? Logic tells me that they are guarded by the royal brides themselves, but they also become “historic pieces”, and not just private memorabilia, so I wonder where they get stored most of the time. Aside from any exhibitions they may get lent to every now and again, who keeps them? The brides? A museum? Or are they kept in royal archives? Maybe they are just in their homes' closets and are kept in good condition by the royal aides and the royals' personal assistants and senior dressers?

 

[Skippyboo]

The British Royal Household has a large number of experts that specializes in managing and caring for the Royal collection. There are probably people that take care of the historical wardrobe including the wedding gowns. I can't image that Kate's gown is hanging in the back of closet at KP. Clothing wore by royals is a popular display at the Summer BP opening. They had the coronation outfits on display in 2013 for the 60th anniversary. I imagine they are somewhere in Windsor Castle.


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[grevinnan]

The British Royal Household has a large number of experts that specializes in managing and caring for the Royal collection. There are probably people that take care of the historical wardrobe including the wedding gowns. I can't image that Kate's gown is hanging in the back of closet at KP. Clothing wore by royals is a popular display at the Summer BP opening. They had the coronation outfits on display in 2013 for the 60th anniversary. I imagine they are somewhere in Windsor Castle.


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I would expect other royal houses have the same kind of solution to their wardrobes. Queen Silvia's Nobel dresses were recently on display and must have been carefully curated, as well as Princess Lilian's current exhibit.

 

[Winnie]

There was a special on this subject years ago {I believe in the 1990s} on Queen Elizabeth II's vast rooms located in Buckingham Palace which are cooled to certain temperature 24/7. All her outfits are stored divided into formal, day, evening, etc. She has women who make sure the proper outfits that she has approved for the occasion be sent up the day before ready for her. She even knows what jewelry she will be wearing. They has since computerized all outfits with pictures so it makes it quite easy for her to decide. I am sure most of the current queens and CPs have the same type of arrangement. I will try to locate this special program and maybe someone who is really computer savvy will be able to tell us how to watch again.

 

[Skippyboo]

Does the vast room have the outfits that the Queen doesn't wear any more? There is 60 years of outfits, most aren't going to be worn by the Queen now. She isn't going to pull a Princess Anne and bust out a dress from 1983 for a current engagement. It would be a hassle enough to deal with the current outfits and an accessories.


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[Winnie]

Does the vast room have the outfits that the Queen doesn't wear any more? There is 60 years of outfits, most aren't going to be worn by the Queen now. She isn't going to pull a Princess Anne and bust out a dress from 1983 for a current engagement. It would be a hassle enough to deal with the current outfits and an accessories.


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Actually that was mentioned on the special. Quite a lot of her outfits [never official royal clothes like wedding, etc.] have been reworked to modernize and new hats made to match. Apparently the queen is quite frugal and insists that if material still in good shape, it will be reused. Anything that can't will be taken apart or if a personal favorite, saved for a future exhibition. Complete outfit are never taken to "charity" shops. I certainly can understand this.

 

[Honeybees]

Actually that was mentioned on the special. Quite a lot of her outfits [never official royal clothes like wedding, etc.] have been reworked to modernize and new hats made to match. Apparently the queen is quite frugal and insists that if material still in good shape, it will be reused. Anything that can't will be taken apart or if a personal favorite, saved for a future exhibition. Complete outfit are never taken to "charity" shops. I certainly can understand this.

H.M grew up during the war. Make do and mend is etched indeliblely on some members of that generations mind. Personally I applaud herself and Princess Anne for this trait.

 

[Skippyboo]

In 2009, for the BP summer opening which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the commonwealth, they picked 26 dresses out of the wardrobe archive that the Queen wore to visits to Commonwealth countries including millinery and jewelry

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news...drobe-Fashion-fit-for-Queen-Elizabeth-II.html

So there is a room somewhere with the old outfits.


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[Duc_et_Pair]

In the Netherlands almost everything which is worth to be stored is in depôt in the Royal House Archives. It is a private archive in a corner of the back garden of Noordeinde Palace and in principle only accessible for the royal family. (See picture). Not so long ago two large floors were added down under the basement making it a gigantic private archive. The bulk of the House Archive contains valuables owned by the royal family. So now and then there are exhibitions, so that the royal family and friends can enjoy ever changing pieces of their large collection. See one of the exhibition rooms in this picture. You can see some dresses displayed in a glass vitrine at the left.

So now an then there are expositions, and then surprisingly beautiful ancient dresses pop up, like on this exhibition on dresses worn at the Court in The Hague (picture) and picture.

Royal dresses are also re-worn. This dress was created by the Swiss couturier Erwin Dolder for Queen Juliana who wore it in 1948. Her daughter Princess Margriet wore the same dress in 1984((picture)). A few years ago there was an exhibition on 10 years Queen Máxima and in Het Loo Palace there was an exhibition with eyechatching dresses she has worn dring that decade

Sometimes thick books are published and then you see so many dresses, for an example worn by Queen Wilhelmina (1880-1962) in splendid colour, so must be a depôt somewhere with dresses, coats, robes, hats, riding-costumes, baby-clothes, whatever once worn by this Queen. For an example the book In Royal Array, Queen Wilhelmina (picture).

 

[Honeybees]

Thanks for sharing Skippydoo...

 

[lallyvee]

What happened to all the Queen Mother's dresses?

 

[Curryong]

^^ Most of the QM's outfits would be still in storage, I guess, and ready for exhibition.

The Netherlands royal family seems to be especially thrifty and I am not surprised that there are large storerooms/exhibition rooms for their clothing. I've seen photos of Beatrix wearing in a green patterned dress for the photo-op with Prince Klaus, her new fiancé, which appeared on her daughter in law Mabel decades later when Mabel attended a wedding. There was also a long sleeved soft green evening gown of Beatrix's which reppeared, dyed in a new zingy green gown worn by Maxima. It had a be-feathered hem.

 

[Winnie]

In 2009, for the BP summer opening which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the commonwealth, they picked 26 dresses out of the wardrobe archive that the Queen wore to visits to Commonwealth countries including millinery and jewelry

The Royal Wardrobe: Fashion fit for Queen Elizabeth II - Telegraph

So there is a room somewhere with the old outfits.


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If my old memory serves correct, over 20 rooms are devoted to royal clothes. These are not small walk-in closets, but large rooms filled with clothes. Mainly the queens but also P. Philip. Queen mother's wardrobe was not mentioned.

 

[carlota]

Thanks to everyone for the information, really interesting to find out about the storage rooms!

from my research online, i came across a blog that said that mary's wedding gown for example is stored somewhere on Amalienborg Castle in a special silk cover. i tried checking for other dresses, but found nothing unfortunately.

on the other hand, i can recognise in this picture posted before amalia's crib, which we saw in her official birth pictures

 

[ashelen]

Wonder what software they use for the wardrobe, if they really use one to choose from the computer what they will use for certain event? it is a really cool concept!
I know Mary has a huge room in Amalienborg palace where her lady prepeare everything there. but I never saw photos. About Queen Margrethe it was one photo about her dressing room, just a huge room with some hungers, nothing special. But would be nice to see. Also I would love to see Queen Maxima when she goes to the vaults and choose which tiara to use! she is the one with moretiaras! must be a seen to see all them together!

 

[eya]

Wonder what software they use for the wardrobe, if they really use one to choose from the computer what they will use for certain event? it is a really cool concept!
I know Mary has a huge room in Amalienborg palace where her lady prepeare everything there. but I never saw photos. About Queen Margrethe it was one photo about her dressing room, just a huge room with some hungers, nothing special. But would be nice to see. Also I would love to see Queen Maxima when she goes to the vaults and choose which tiara to use! she is the one with moretiaras! must be a seen to see all them together!

Oh my God. If I go in the vaults and see all the tiaras and jewelry especially maxima's would not stop screaming.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Wonder what software they use for the wardrobe, if they really use one to choose from the computer what they will use for certain event? it is a really cool concept!
I know Mary has a huge room in Amalienborg palace where her lady prepeare everything there. but I never saw photos. About Queen Margrethe it was one photo about her dressing room, just a huge room with some hungers, nothing special. But would be nice to see. Also I would love to see Queen Maxima when she goes to the vaults and choose which tiara to use! she is the one with moretiaras! must be a seen to see all them together!

In most palaces there are so called Silver Chambers where all gold-, silver- and crystalware but also porcelain and other valuables are carefully stored in protected surroundings. On this picture you see an example of such a Silver Chamber, this one is in Lange Voorhout Palace in The Hague, which now houses a museum. When I have to think about diadems and jewels, then I assume that these are stored in cassettes placed in safes in one of these Silver Chambers.

 

[mslewis]

This is an interesting discussion. I don't think I've ever really thought about where the clothes are kept. I do remember reading that Queen Elizabeth re-works her gowns and day clothes, and that's a great thing. She always looks amazing and her clothes look new. The Princess Royal, on the other hand, just seems to wear her old things just the way they were without making any changes to update them which makes her look dowdy.

 

[AdmirerUS]

This is an interesting discussion. I don't think I've ever really thought about where the clothes are kept. I do remember reading that Queen Elizabeth re-works her gowns and day clothes, and that's a great thing. She always looks amazing and her clothes look new. The Princess Royal, on the other hand, just seems to wear her old things just the way they were without making any changes to update them which makes her look dowdy.

Careful, now. Anne is a fashion patron saint for many of us who are making do. Trust me, Anne's taste is such that she could completely scrap her wardrobe, buy all new and not look less dowdy. It's who she is. A female version of the POW. And less money spent on clothes means more money spent on horses. Always a good thing.

 

[mslewis]

Careful, now. Anne is a fashion patron saint for many of us who are making do. Trust me, Anne's taste is such that she could completely scrap her wardrobe, buy all new and not look less dowdy. It's who she is. A female version of the POW. And less money spent on clothes means more money spent on horses. Always a good thing.

I agree that Anne's interests are mostly in horses and not clothes. So, yeah, I guess she would balk at spending a few thousands on a gown when that money could be better spent as a down payment on a new horse.

However, the Prince of Wales is a great dresser. His Savile Row suits never go out of style. I think Charles is the best dressed member of the Royal family.

 

[Honeybees]

Careful, now. Anne is a fashion patron saint for many of us who are making do. Trust me, Anne's taste is such that she could completely scrap her wardrobe, buy all new and not look less dowdy. It's who she is. A female version of the POW. And less money spent on clothes means more money spent on horses. Always a good thing.

I so agree with you. Did you know allegedly PA's other great love is lighthouses.

 

[cdm]

Grace gave her wedding dress to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Fabiola gave her wedding dress to the Balenciaga Foundation.

 

[Marty91charmed]

It is interesting to read where all royal wedding dresses have ended up in... they are, after all, a fascinating legacy!

 

[carlota]

Grace gave her wedding dress to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Fabiola gave her wedding dress to the Balenciaga Foundation.

i guess i hadn't considered this option! great idea to give it to a museum or foundation.

 

[AnaC]

In the Royal Palace of Aranjuez there is a "Life at the Palace" museum, with objects ranging from clothes to fans to carriages of various Kings and Queens since Felipe V. There are two rooms devoted to the reign of Juan Carlos I, including the wedding dresses of Queen Letizia, Queen Sofía, Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina, morning suits and military uniforms worn by the King and his father at important events during King Juan Carlos reign...I don't know what will happen to these things and the museum once they open the Museum of Royal Collections next to the Royal Palace in downtown Madrid.

Some photos of the wedding dresses:

http://cdn.20m.es/img/2005/12/14/298469.jpg
https://theartshowroom.files.wordpr...na-letizia-expuesto-en-el-museo-del-traje.jpg
http://www.canarias7.es/fotos/o/0512/15406-1p.jpg