The wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson – on this day in 1986 – was a wildly glamorous event, as these evocative pictures show. How times have changed…
- The Duke and Duchess of York married on 23 July 1986 at Westminster Abbey
- Despite their divorce, the Duchess described it as the best day of her life
- For all the latest Royal news, pictures and video click here
With lavish gowns, thousands of blooms and an A-list guestlist, the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was one of the most show-stopping spectacles of the 1980s.
Fergie stunned crowds in a silk ivory dress as she was walked down the Westminster Abbey aisle to meet her smiling prince in his naval uniform.
Despite getting divorced ten years later, Fergie said that her wedding day was the ‘best day of her life’.
Speaking on Italian talk show Porta a Porta, she said: ‘I was the luckiest girl in the world. It was truly a fairytale because I was marrying a prince.’
Here, MailOnline Royals looks back at a major national event, which took place on this day 37 years ago…
The Dress
Sarah Ferguson wore a figure-flattering gown designed by the young British designer, Lindka Cierach
The duchess satin creation featured an impressive 17-foot train and 20-foot long veil which trailed behind the bride as she processed with her father, Major Ronald Ferguson
In a romantic gesture, the dramatic train was also decorated with the couple’s initials, A and S
The embellished bodice was decorated with thistles and a bumblebee from the bride’s coat of arms and anchors to represent Prince Andrew’s naval career
Sarah Ferguson exceeded expectations with her figure-flattering gown, designed by the young British designer, Lindka Cierach.
The duchess satin creation featured an impressive 17-foot train and 20-foot long veil which trailed behind the bride as she processed with her father, Major Ronald Ferguson.
The 80s-style puff sleeves were paired with an embellished bodice, decorated with thistles and a bumblebee from the bride’s coat of arms and anchors to represent Prince Andrew’s naval career.
Fergie later revealed that she lost 26 pounds in order to fit into the dress, writing in her autobiography, My Story: ‘We’d chosen duchess satin because it is the creamiest material in the world.
‘It never creases. It is smooth as glass and hangs beautifully, without a single bulge; it made my reduced figure look even better.’
In a romantic gesture, the dramatic train was also decorated with the couple’s initials, A and S.
The Tiara
When Sarah Ferguson first entered Westminster Abbey, she donned an elaborate flower crown brimming with gardenias – Prince Andrew’s favourite flower
After she signed the marriage certificate, the flowers were removed to reveal a brand new tiara, to signify Fergie’s transition into the Royal Family
The Duchess of York continued to wear the York tiara after her divorce and it was also worn by Princess Beatrice for a state banquet in Jordan
When Sarah Ferguson first entered Westminster Abbey, she donned an elaborate flower crown brimming with gardenias – Prince Andrew’s favourite flower.
But after she signed the marriage certificate, the flowers were removed to reveal a brand new tiara, to signify Fergie’s transition into the Royal Family.
The York tiara, which is made of platinum and diamonds with a leaf detail, was purchased for the duchess from the jeweller Garrard by the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
The beautiful head piece remained the Duchess of York’s property even after her split from Prince Andrew, and she wore it on several occasions following her divorce.
She later stopped wearing the accessory to public engagements, with one of its last appearances being at the White Ball, where Fergie wore a glamorous black gown in 2001.
But the tiara made its first reappearance in twenty years when Sarah’s daughter, Princess Beatrice, wore the piece for a state banquet in Jordan to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein and his wife, Rajwa.
Wedding party
The wedding guests including Queen Elizabeth are pictured saying farewell to the Duke and Duchess of York as they head off for their honeymoon
Young attendees often make an impression at royal weddings and in 1986, Prince William was no exception
The four-year-old prince served as one of the pageboys, who were dressed in sailor outfits to hint at Prince Andrew’s career in the navy
Prince William and one of the bridesmaids appeared to be struggling with fatigue during the ceremony
Young attendees often make an impression at royal weddings and in 1986, Prince William was no exception.
The four-year-old prince served as one of the pageboys, who were dressed in sailor outfits to hint at Prince Andrew’s career in the navy.
Meanwhile the bridesmaids, which included the five-year-old Zara Phillips, wore peach dresses with a lace trim.
Andrew chose younger brother, Prince Edward, to serve as his best man and Charles was asked to give a reading.
Charles arrived at the ceremony with Diana, who wore a blue polka dot dress with a matching hat for the service.
Fergie and Diana had met as teenagers and the pair were friends before they both entered the royal family, with Diana reportedly setting her friend up with Andrew.
In their engagement interview, Prince Andrew joked that him and Sarah were ‘made to sit next to each other’ at a party hosted by the late Queen during Royal Ascot in 1985.
Andrew opted for his younger brother, Prince Edward, to serve as his best man and the pair left Buckingham Palace together to set off for Westminster Abbey
The late Queen rode in a carriage with Sarah Ferguson’s father, Major Ronald Ferguson, after the wedding
Prince Philip rode with the bride’s mother, Susan Barrantes, to head back to Buckingham Palace
Princess Diana wore a blue polka dress and matching hat for the service. She is pictured sitting alongside then Prince Charles and the Queen Mother
The wedding ceremony was attended by a number of notable guests, including actor Michael Caine and his wife
Actress Pamela Stephenson and comedian Billy Connolly were also pictured among the congregation at Westminster Abbey
He said: ‘It was at Ascot, as it were, that the whole thing took off.’
The Queen made an elegant appearance at the wedding in a blue coat dress with a matching hat, arriving in a carriage with Prince Philip for the occasion.
After the service, the parents of the bride and groom swapped over for the return journey to Buckingham Palace, with the Queen riding in a carriage with Fergie’s father and Prince Philip joining her mother, Susan Barrantes.
Adorable footage later emerged of the late Queen chasing after a young Prince William as he ran after the carriage carrying the newlyweds headed for their honeymoon.
Queen Elizabeth, then 60, makes a grab for her grandson’s hand in the video to stop him getting too close to the carriage.
Flowers
The bride held a unique cascading bouquet, filled with white and yellow flowers provided by Jane Packer
Gardenias, roses and lily of the valley were used for the bouquet as well as a sprig of myrtle – a tradition which dates back to the time of Queen Victoria
As well as Fergie’s statement flower crown, an array of 30,000 flowers were used to decorate Westminster Abbey for the ceremony.
The bride held a unique cascading bouquet, filled with white and yellow flowers provided by Jane Packer.
Gardenias, roses and lily of the valley were used for the arrangement as well as a sprig of myrtle – a tradition which dates back to the time of Queen Victoria.
Her daughter, Princess Victoria, carried the flower at her wedding in 1858 and the myrtle now used at royal weddings is taken from a bush that has grown from a plant originally given to Queen Victoria.
After the wedding, Sarah Ferguson’s bouquet was placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, in keeping with a poignant royal tradition begun by the late Queen Mother in 1923.
The thousands of other flowers which had decorated the Abbey on the day were donated to charity, according to Hello! magazine.
They reported that the flowers were given to hospices to add brightness to the lives of others.
The Balcony Appearance
The Duke and Duchess of York left the Abbey and headed for Buckingham Palace in the 1902 State Landau carriage, where they were greeted by waiting crowds.
They later appeared on the Palace balcony alongside other members of the Royal Family, including the pageboys and bridesmaids, the late Queen and the Queen Mother.
In a famous gesture to the onlooking crowds, the pair seemed to be saying they could not hear them asking for the famous balcony kiss – before they then followed through with the tradition.
The newlywed couple, appeared on the Palace balcony alongside other members of the Royal Family, including the pageboys and bridesmaids
In a famous gesture to the onlooking crowds, the pair seemed to be saying they could not hear them asking for the famous balcony kiss
But the couple then fulfilled the crowd’s wishes, sharing a kiss on the balcony in keeping with tradition
The Party and The honeymoon
After their Westminster Abbey wedding and the appearance at Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson had a party at Claridge’s Hotel.
Their towering rum-soaked cake was over 5ft tall and was prepared by the navy supply school HMS Raleigh.
The Duke and Duchess of York then set off for Heathrow Airport in a horse-drawn carriage complete with confetti, flags, an oversized teddy bear and a pole with the message ‘Phone home’.
The Duke and Duchess of York set off for Heathrow Airport in a horse-drawn carriage complete with confetti, flags and an oversized teddy bear
The horse-drawn carriage carrying the couple also had a pole with the message ‘Phone home’
The wedding cake was a towering rum-soaked creation which was prepared by the navy supply school HMS Raleigh
The pair left from Heathrow Airport for their honeymoon, with a ‘Just Married’ sign on the back of their plane
For her going away outfit, Fergie opted for a floral blue ensemble featuring a peplum jacket with puffed sleeves paired with white high heels.
They spent five days cruising the Azores on board The Royal Yacht Britannia and it was reported that staff on the vessel hardly saw the couple, who at one point hosted guests for a cocktail party on the deck.
According to the Daily Mail, the commander of the ship said: ‘My instructions from Buckingham Palace are that this honeymoon is to stay entirely private.’
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