The Royal Family has always set an example in many areas of life not only for Londoners but also for people all around the world. Royal marriages and wedding ceremonies were also very important. Wedding traditions of the 20th century are still relevant nowadays. However, it is also interesting to learn about what were the features of this ceremony in the 19th century. At that time, there were no modern technologies and, accordingly, the clothes, celebrations and traditions differed from modern ones. What were the main features of the royal weddings in the 19th century? Learn more at londonka.
Luxury and refinement
The royal wedding has always been luxurious. However, certain changes in traditions, which took place in the 19th century, influenced many customs in the further world history. The most famous was the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It took place on February 10, 1840. The Royal Family has always treated marriages extremely seriously. So, Queen Victoria had to choose a worthy candidate, taking into account his status and background. Moreover, this wedding became known to the whole world thanks to the fact that it was the queen who proposed to the prince. In the 19th century, a proposal from a woman was considered an extremely strange phenomenon. However, it emphasised the character and status of the queen. The bride’s outfit was also unusual. Queen Victoria wore an exquisite white satin dress. Previously, Londoners were wearing lush and bright dresses of different colours. Those dresses later could be worn for other solemn events too. Apparently, it was thanks to the queen that the white dress became a symbol of the bride in the modern world. Another feature was a custom-made ring. This is one of the most expensive and exquisite jewellery of the Royal Family. The ring, which was made of gold and decorated with stones, became a symbol of the establishment of political relations between the two states.
Public spectacle
Since it was the first wedding in the last hundred years, which took place during the day, and not at night, there was a large number of people willing to look at such a spectacle. The wedding ceremony attracted a large crowd of Londoners. It took place in the Chapel Royal of St James’s Palace. The partially open ceremony resulted in the positive attitude of the population towards the queen.
Photo source: Museum of London
Another example of a 19th-century wedding was the marriage of Prince Albert Edward to Princess Alexandra. The Danish princess arrived in London in an extremely elegant and solemn way. This procession can be called a more public spectacle than the wedding itself. She arrived through the Temple Bar gates and the city was aglow in red and gold. Many people gathered on the streets, eager to celebrate. Preparation for the meeting of Princess Alexandra lasted more than a month. Two weeks were spent on illumination and decoration. However, the wedding itself didn’t differ in particular splendour and luxury. One of the reasons was the death of Prince Albert less than two years ago. After her husband’s death, Queen Victoria gave up public duties for almost ten years. So, at the time of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra’s wedding, the Royal Family was still in mourning. The guests were dressed in clothes of more neutral colours because the brightness was inappropriate. Despite all this, the ceremony was held in accordance with traditions. In particular, the bride’s dress was also traditionally white in contrast to the clothes of other women (in grey, purple and lilac shades).