Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Why Princess Diana had two wedding bouquets – and it's inspired by this royal

Royal brides have followed suit

princess diana prince charles wedding day
Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
Share this:

From her mishap with her wedding dress to her vow slip-up, Princess Diana has proven that not everything goes as planned when you tie the knot. But one aspect of her big day with Prince Charles that she ensured was smooth-sailing was her flowers, choosing to have not one but two identical bouquets.

READ: 5 most popular royal wedding flowers – including Princess Diana's

It turns out that this was inspired by Her Majesty the Queen, according to Diana's chief florist David Longman. The monarch was pictured without her bouquet on her wedding day to Prince Philip in 1947, which led to the couple having to have their photographs done for the second time on their honeymoon.

WATCH: 7 of the most expensive royal weddings of all time – who takes top spot?

To prevent this from happening to Princess Diana, and any other future royal brides, it became a tradition to make a spare bouquet.

David explained in ITV’s Invitation to the Royal Wedding: "The first one had to be delivered at 8 o’clock to Buckingham Palace. We had a police escort motorcyclist who took us all through the city to the Palace. Then we came back, and by that time they had finished the second bouquet and back we went again."

MORE: Most expensive royal engagement rings: Meghan Markle, Duchess Camilla and more

READ: How Princess Beatrice's sustainable wedding was a sign of change

princess diana wedding bouquet

Princess Diana with one of her two wedding bouquets

Princess Diana and Prince Charles said 'I do' at  St Paul’s Cathedral wearing her iconic gown designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, complete with puff sleeves, a record-breaking 25-foot train and 10,000 mother of pearl sequins and pearl embellishments. She held a bouquet made up of gardenias, orchids, stephanotis, lily of the valley, freesia and myrtle.

The florist added: "If we go back to the Queen’s wedding in 1947, when you look at the state photographs of all the bridesmaids and royal guests – there’s the Queen without a bouquet.

queen bouquet

Her Majesty on her wedding day in 1947

"It got lost, so in the middle of their honeymoon, they had to get dressed up again in their wedding clothes and my father had to provide another bouquet for those photographs."

Even the likes of Kate Middleton reportedly had two identical bridal bouquets for this reason.

RELATED: The Queen's controversial decision during wedding to Prince Philip

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.

More Weddings

See more