Meghan Markle’s wedding dress for her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018 was one of the most anticipated bridal gowns in recent history. As an American actress marrying into the British royal family, Markle’s choice of wedding dress designer and style was kept a closely guarded secret leading up to the big day. With breathless speculation about everything from the designer she would choose to the price tag of the gown, interest around Markle’s bridal look reached a fever pitch.
So how much did Meghan Markle’s gorgeous wedding dress wind up costing? While the exact price has not been made public, various experts have estimated the cost of everything from the couture gown itself to the custom tiara and veil Markle wore. Here, we break down what is known and can be reasonably surmised about how much Markle spent to say yes to her dress for her fairytale royal wedding.
The Designer
After months of speculation about which designer Meghan Markle would choose for her history-making wedding dress, it was finally revealed on the big day that her gown was the creation of Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director at the historic French fashion house Givenchy.
Known for her elegant, timeless aesthetic and impeccable tailoring, Waight Keller was an intriguing choice for Markle’s wedding dress. While Givenchy has designed iconic looks worn by everyone from Audrey Hepburn to Beyoncé, the house had never before created a bridal gown for a royal wedding.
Markle had reportedly chosen Waight Keller for her “timeless and elegant aesthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanor.” The fact that Markle selected the first female artistic director at Givenchy indicates her desire to support the work of talented, pioneering women through her fashion choices.
While financial details have not been made public, industry insiders have estimated that a bespoke couture gown from a design house of Givenchy’s caliber likely cost around $300,000 or more. Creating a one-of-a-kind bridal look for a royal wedding requires immense skill, time, discretion, and resources to execute at the highest level.
The Gown
Meghan Markle ultimately selected a stunning double-bonded silk cady gown for her wedding day. The elegantly restrained dress featured long sleeves, a bateau neckline, and a six-foot silk tulle veil adorned with hand-embroidered flowers representing the commonwealth.
The gown’s clean lines and lack of decorative embellishments allowed the beauty of the finely tailored, meticulously cut fabric to really shine. Markle’s dress resembled the iconic wedding gown worn by Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956.
Markle’s dress embodied sophisticated minimalism and was praised by fashion industry experts. The estimated cost just for the labor and materials involved in creating Markle’s wedding dress was around $150,000-$200,000. This is typical for a customized high fashion couture bridal gown using expensive fabrics like silk.
The dress was fabricated to precision specifications to perfectly fit Markle on her wedding day. It reportedly took 3,900 hours of work spread over the course of several months to produce the custom silk gown. Meghan Markle reportedly worked closely with Waight Keller on the dress design process, undertaking multiple private fittings.
The Veil
Adding even more elegance and significance to her wedding day ensemble, Meghan Markle wore a 16 foot long silk tulle veil. The hand-embroidered veil was decorated with flora representing each of the commonwealth nations.
To create the unique, meaningful botanical motif, crafters spent hundreds of hours hand-stitching each bloom in silk and organza thread. The striking veil added a regal sense of poise and tradition to Markle’s look.
Veils worn by royal brides typically come with a hefty price tag. Custom veils can cost $25,000 and beyond at the highest couture level. Industry experts estimate Markle’s beautifully crafted silk tulle cathedral veil cost around $25,000-$30,000.
The Tiara
No royal bridal look would be complete without the perfect tiara. Meghan Markle wore the diamond bandeau tiara for her wedding, on loan from Queen Elizabeth II. Originally crafted in 1932 for Queen Mary, it features diamonds set in platinum in a flexible band design.
The priceless antique tiara was lent to Markle as her “something borrowed” wedding tradition item. Rather than wearing one of the larger, more ornate tiaras in the royal collection, Markle selected an understated art deco inspired piece perfectly suited to her minimalist dress.
As one of the older pieces from the royal vault not designed specifically as a tiara, this sparkling headpiece likely cost well into the millions when originally crafted. The true value of the antique bandeau tiara today is inestimable due to its rich history, exceptional craftsmanship, and association with the royal family.
Jewelry
Meghan Markle’s choice of wedding day jewelry was thoughtful and symbolic. She wore diamond earrings gifted from Queen Elizabeth II. Custom-made by Cleave and Company, the earrings feature a large brilliant cut diamond from Botswana framed by two smaller diamonds from Her Majesty’s personal collection.
Botswana holds special significance for Prince Harry who has visited many times since childhood. The use of ethically sourced Botswana diamonds highlights the couple’s commitment to using natural resources responsibly. While the cost of these meaningful earrings has not been revealed, bespoke diamond earrings of this size from the Queen’s preferred jeweler likely rang in at around $150,000 or more.
On her left wrist, Markle wore a platinum bracelet handcrafted with a piece of Welsh gold gifted from Prince Charles. The rare Welsh gold was sourced from the Clogau St David’s mine. This meaningfully incorporated gold from Wales where Prince Charles holds the title Prince of Wales. Custom bracelets made from the limited supply of Welsh gold are estimated to cost around $35,000.
Finally, Markle’s wedding ring finger was adorned with a custom trilogy engagement ring made with conflict-free diamonds. Her engagement ring was designed by Prince Harry with a large central diamond from Botswana bookended by two smaller stones from Princess Diana’s jewelry collection.
Experts value the glittering ring, which combines sentimental gems with high quality craftsmanship, at approximately $300,000-$350,000.
Total Cost
Adding up the most credibly sourced estimates, Meghan Markle’s royal wedding attire cost around:
| Wedding dress: | $250,000 |
| Veil: | $30,000 |
| Tiara: | Priceless (millions originally) |
| Earrings: | $150,000 |
| Bracelet: | $35,000 |
| Engagement ring: | $325,000 |
This brings the estimated grand total to approximately $790,000 spent for the full bridal look that Meghan Markle wore to wed Prince Harry and become the Duchess of Sussex.
Considering that royal weddings are typically multi-million dollar affairs, Markle’s fashion splurge remains proportionate. By choosing an elegant minimalist gown and timeless accessories, she crafted a memorable bridal look that will go down in history as a classic.
Significance
Beyond the price tag, the significance of Meghan Markle’s wedding dress stems from her overall bridal style choices that broke barriers and set new traditions. As the first American and mixed race royal bride, Markle’s wedding wardrobe fused personal heritage and style with royal custom in a breathtaking, modern way.
Her bespoke, husband-designed ring featured diamonds with ethical sourcing and family history from Princess Diana. Meaningful details like the commonwealth flowers and Welsh gold jewelry demonstrated a thoughtful, conscientious use of resources and respect for tradition.
Most importantly, Markle used the global spotlight of a royal wedding watched by billions to showcase the work of female talent. From designer Waight Keller to the craftswomen who stitched the veil, her choices elevated women, diversity, and inclusivity. This significance will make her fashion legacy outlast any price tag.
Conclusion
Meghan Markle’s royal wedding dress cost an estimated $300,000 or more for the couture gown alone. With custom accessories like the tiara, earrings, bracelet, ring, and embroidered veil included, the full bridal look totaled around $790,000 by credible expert estimates.
While this price may seem astronomical for one day’s attire, it pales in comparison to the enormous cumulative costs associated with royal weddings. The significance of Markle’s fashion will be measured by its elegance, beauty, and consideration given to incorporating meaningful details that honored history, craftsmanship, and inclusivity in a timeless way.
