Princess Diana’s wedding dress has inspired decades of stories, but one of the most familiar claims remains unconfirmed. Designer Elizabeth Emanuel has now explained what she actually knows about the alleged perfume mishap.
Princess Diana’s wedding dress designer recalls the perfume spill story
InStyle revisited the story on the 45th anniversary of Diana’s July 29, 1981, wedding to then-Prince Charles. The publication traced the claim to bridal makeup artist Barbara Daly. She said that Diana told her she had spilled perfume on the front of the gown shortly before leaving for St. Paul’s Cathedral.
People previously detailed Daly’s account, including her advice that Diana hold the fabric over the mark. That would make it appear as though the bride was lifting her skirt while walking. The outlet also noted that Diana could be seen holding the front of her dress as she approached the altar.
“They say that, but I don’t know how true that is because I didn’t see it,” Emanuel told Us Weekly. She said Daly may have witnessed the incident and admitted she was relieved not to know at the time because she “would have panicked.”
The designers had prepared for a last-minute wardrobe emergency. Emanuel said she and her then-husband, David Emanuel, made a spare overskirt. They made it so that it could cover the gown if Diana spilled something on the front of it. They never needed to use it.
That precaution was separate from the secret backup dress the pair created in case details of Diana’s main gown leaked before the ceremony. The alternate design was never completed or shown to Diana, but it gave the designers another option if their closely guarded plan became public.
Diana ultimately wore the famous ivory silk taffeta and lace gown with its puffed sleeves and 25-foot train. Interest in the ceremony has also revived accounts of her mother’s emotions and her decision to wear the Spencer Tiara. A newly revealed letter has also offered another glimpse into her honeymoon.
Emanuel’s comments do not confirm whether the perfume spill happened. Instead, they draw a clear distinction between Daly’s account and what the wedding dress designer personally witnessed. For Emanuel, learning about the possible stain years later may have spared everyone one final burst of panic before the ceremony.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK PRINCESS DIANA MANAGED TO HIDE THE ALLEGED PERFUME STAIN?
