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Why Princess Eugenie was the only royal bride without a veil on her wedding day

The Princess had a very touching reason


princess eugenie royal wedding
Ainhoa Barcelona
Content Managing Editor
Updated: May 11, 2022
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As with all royal brides, Princess Eugenie looked simply stunning when she married Jack Brooksbank – but did you notice one very important accessory was missing?

SEE: Royal brides had the BEST 'something borrowed' on their wedding days – see photos for proof

While Kate Middleton rocked a 6ft veil for her 2011 nuptials with Prince William and Meghan Markle chose an impressive 16.5ft long veil for her 2018 big day with Prince Harry, Eugenie chose to forego the traditional headpiece. On 12 October 2018, the Queen's granddaughter stepped out in an exquisite emerald tiara and a gown by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, which was specifically designed to show off her scoliosis scar.

WATCH: Everything you need to know about Princess Eugenie's wedding dress

It featured a neckline that folded around the shoulders and dropped into a low back and a flowing full-length train.

In a similar vein, it's believed that Eugenie chose not to wear a veil because she wanted to show the scar that runs from her neck down her back from her operation to cure scoliosis aged 12.

READ: Princess Margaret's historic wedding tradition adopted by Kate Middleton and more

RELATED: Michelle Obama nailed this wedding dress style 26 years before Princess Eugenie

The Queen's granddaughter was very open about her struggle with scoliosis and had previously hinted that her wedding dress would show her scar. During an interview with ITV's This Morning, Eugenie spoke about receiving treatment at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.

princess eugenie shows off scar in wedding dress© Photo: Getty Images

Eugenie's scar runs from her neck down her back

"I'm patron of their appeal and I had an operation when I was 12 on my back, and you'll see on Friday, but it's a lovely way to honour the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this," she said. "I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it's really special to stand up for that. So that's one really important one." Eugenie is also patron of the European School of Osteopathy.

One of the lucky guests to attend the royal wedding in Windsor was Eugenie's doctor, NHS surgeon Jan Lehovsky, who performed the life-changing surgery. Mother-of-the-bride Sarah Ferguson previously told the Evening Standard that the doctor and his team would attend "in honour of the fact that [Eugenie] is walking up that aisle with a straight back because of them".

princess eugenie and jack brooksbank at royal wedding© Photo: Getty Images

The happy couple leave St George's Chapel

Sarah added: "She did have what would have been very serious curvature of the spine. The wedding is about love, future and inclusivity... What a huge, huge day for health, for the NHS, for the RNOH, and for hope. This is why this wedding is so beautiful – it's hope for other children suffering from scoliosis."

SHOP: Love Countess Sophie's pearl wedding accessories? Amazon has £90 versions

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