It’s a very famous royal wedding outfit and a style statement
that defied regal expectation. And there was a lot of expectation
for this bride. She was to become consort of a country that had
been home to one of the most famous royals the 20th century and
everyone wanted to know what she would wear as she assumed the
title. She surprised everyone – meet the royal bride who wore
trousers to become a princess.
Charlene Wittstock arrived at her civil marriage to Prince
Albert II of Monaco in a trouser suit she designed with the help of
Karl Lagerfeld. This had been the commission every designer wanted.
The last big royal wedding in Monaco had been that of Albert’s
parents, Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace, and the wedding
gown worn by the bride at that ceremony was one of the most
celebrated in fashion history. It was Lagerfeld who got the nod and
his creation got everyone talking.
Charlene and Albert’s civil wedding took place on July 1st 2011
at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco. For the event, the first part of
what had been described as the biggest celebration in Monaco since
the wedding of Albert’s parents in 1956, the princess chose a
striking and surprising outfit. For this royal bride wore blue to
say ‘I do’ for the first time.
blue trouser suit was an unexpected bridal pick
(Palais Princier You Tube still/ fair use)
Charlene’s civil wedding outfit included palazzo pants made of
chiffon and a single breasted fitted jacket. The creation was a
shade said to match her eyes to perfection and known since as
‘Charlene blue’. Charlene worked on the design with Lagerfeld
who was creative director of both Chanel and Fendi.
He was among the most high profile guests at Albert and
Charlene’s religious wedding on July 2nd 2011 although for that
ceremony, the bride wore Armani. Karl Lagerfeld, however, dressed
some of the most important guests at the event with the groom’s
sister, Princess Caroline of Hanover, and her elder daughter,
Charlotte Casiraghi, both in Chanel designs for the occasion.
walked out to greet the crowds in a pair of palazzo pants
(Palais Princier You Tube still/ fair use)
Lagerfeld’s involvement in the royal wedding was widely expected
as he had been close to Monaco’s royal family for many years. He
was a particularly good friend of Caroline, who wore many of his
designs over the decades, choosing his creations for major events
in the Monaco royal calendar including the Bal de Rose.
However, it is the wedding outfit he helped Princess Charlene
create that will remain perhaps his best known royal style
statement.
