Unnoticed royal wedding dramas: Prince Philip's family, Princess Diana's stain & more
No wedding day is perfect, even with a whole host of royal wedding planners. Just take a look at Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and more royals for proof – they have suffered from car mishaps, broken accessories, stained bridal outfits and more.
But even with millions of eyes watching their every move, many of these brides and grooms managed to hide their dramas. Take a look at what didn't go according to plan…
WATCH: Most stunning royal wedding dresses that will go down in history
Queen Elizabeth's tiara
The late Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, was left "alarmed" over a last-minute mishap with her wedding tiara when she married Prince Philip in 1947.
She accessorised her Sir Norman Hartnell gown with the Queen Mary's Fringe Tiara which broke shortly before she walked down the aisle. While attending an exhibition of Princess Kate's wedding dress in 2018, she explained: "The catch, which I didn't know existed, it suddenly went. And I didn’t know it was a necklace, you see… I thought I'd broken it… We stuck it all together again, but I was rather alarmed."
Prince Philip's family
Prince Philip had his own dramas away from the cameras, but his centred around his family as opposed to his outfit. According to The Sun, the Duke of Edinburgh's sisters – Princess Margarita, Princess Theodora and Princess Sophie – were forbidden from attending his royal wedding by order of the King as they had all married German princes.
The wedding took place just two years after the end of World War II and tensions were still high in Britain.
Prince William's car
King Charles allowed his eldest son Prince William to borrow his convertible Aston Martin Volante to drive himself and his new wife Princess Kate from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House following their 2011 wedding – but he forgot about the handbrake!
The Sun's royal photographer Arthur Edwards revealed on the BBC's Desert Island Discs: "I was talking to Prince Charles about that. I said: 'Did you mind him borrowing your car?' Because he loves that car. It was a birthday present from his mother on his 21st birthday.
"He said: 'Oh, no. He asked me if he could use it.'" When asked if there was a problem with it, Prince Charles apparently answered: "Yes. Because he didn't take the handbrake off."
Princess Diana's perfume
Princess Diana was adding the finishing touches to her bridal look when she suffered a fashion mishap. While dabbing her perfume, Quelques Fleurs, onto her wrists, she spilt some down the front of her David and Elizabeth Emanuel dress, staining the fabric in a very obvious place.
Her makeup artist Barbara Daly explained in the book Diana: The Portrait that she attempted to clean the dress to no avail. Diana walked down the aisle regardless and hid the stain with a carefully placed hand.
This was not the only thing that didn't go to plan at her royal wedding. While reciting her vows at St Paul's Cathedral, Diana accidentally called her groom Philip Charles Arthur George instead of Charles Philip Arthur George.
Meghan Markle's programme
Meghan Markle was expecting her father Thomas Markle to be by her side on her wedding day, but those plans were scuppered following his health issues which prevented him from flying to the UK.
Instead, the royal bride began her walk down the aisle to Prince Harry alone and was later joined by her father-in-law, then-Prince Charles. However, their wedding programme was not up to date, as it read: "The Bride, having been greeted by the Dean of Windsor, moves in procession through the Nave where she is joined by her father, Mr. Thomas Markle, to the High Altar."
Countess Sophie
The Countess of Wessex and Fofar, then Sophie Rhys-Jones, had a fashion rule for guests when she married Prince Edward in 1999, but not everyone complied.
For their more informal wedding at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, Sophie and Edward supposedly asked guests to wear evening gowns and smart attire but no headpieces, which was a surprising decision since they are normally customary. However, Princess Anne opted for a small green hair accessory, the Queen wore a lilac feathered fascinator, and the Queen Mother was pictured in a purple hat with bold feathered detailing.
