Greek royal bride's wedding dress designer revealed – and it's Meghan Markle's secret favourite
Big fashion houses like Alexander McQueen and Givenchy are sought-after wedding dress designers among royal brides, but Prince Nikolaos' fiancée Chrysí Vardinogiánni has chosen a brand close to her heart by turning to a Greek designer for her big day.
According to HELLO!'s sister publication HELLO! Greece, sources claim Prince Nikolaos of Greece's bride-to-be will walk down the aisle on 7 February in a Christos Costarellos gown. Launched in Athens in 1998, the brand is "deeply rooted in Greek heritage" with the designer describing himself on his website as "the premier name of extraordinary laces and unique embellishment techniques."
Bridal collections to date have been epitomised by luxurious detailing and ethereal, feminine silhouettes – as proven by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's wife Carrie Symonds. Back in May 2021, she was pictured at her low-key wedding reception in the garden of their London home, No. 11 Downing Street, in a rented bohemian lace wedding dress with trumpet sleeves, sheer panel details and subtle floral lace.
Huge congratulations to @carriesymonds and @BorisJohnson on their wedding.
🥂 pic.twitter.com/qEKrAKFBRR— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) May 30, 2021
Could this be any indication of the type of romantic gown the daughter of Giorgos Vardinogiánnis and Agapi Póliti could wear to marry Nikolaos?
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Meghan Markle's comments
Royals such as Princess Rajwa Al Hussein of Jordan and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands have also turned to the designer for outfits in the past, with the former looking elegant in a blue dress for her engagement portrait.
If this wasn't proof enough of the royal stamp of approval, former Suits actress Meghan Markle admitted in an unearthed interview that designs by Christos Costarellos were among her favourite wedding dresses.
In 2016, the same year she met Prince Harry, Meghan discussed her wedding dress fittings for her character Rachel Zane on the TV show in an interview with Glamour, sharing an insight into her personal preferences away from the cameras.
Meghan was asked what her dream gown would be, and she replied: "I have the luxury of wearing beautiful pieces of clothing every day for work, so my personal style – wedding or not – is very pared down and relaxed.
"Classic and simple is the name of the game, perhaps with a modern twist."
She continued: "I personally prefer wedding dresses that are whimsical or subtly romantic. Delphine Manivet and Christos Costarellos are faves of mine for their uniqueness and beauty. And I will always be a fan of Ellie Saab. J. Mendel is spectacular as well, especially for more structural designs."
Nikolaos' royal wedding
Nikolaos – who ended his marriage to his ex-wife of 14 years in 2024 – and Chrysí – who split from director Konstantinos Markoulakis in December 2023 – have kept their romance low-key.
They have long been family friends, but they secretly attended the 55-year-old Greek Prince's sister Princess Theodóra's wedding with Matthew Kumar in September 2024 and were first photographed together following his father King Constantine's memorial meal in January 2025.
Chrysí has since been spotted wearing a unique gold engagement ring with her fiancé in Athens in exclusive photos obtained by HELLO!.
The pair are set to wed on 7 February in a private ceremony with guests expected to include Queen Anne-Marie and Prince Pavlos as well as members of the royal houses of Spain and Denmark.
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