Sprig of the fragrant myrtle flower.
Posted on 04/07/2011 4:16:36 PM PDT by Liz
Kate Middleton will incorporate royal tradition dating back to the 19th century with Queen Victoria – “a sprig of myrtle from the tree that still grows today in Victoria’s personal garden at her palace by the sea, Osborne House at Isle of Wight.”
Once called the nosegay or tussie mussie, the bridal bouquet rose in popularity during Queen Victoria’s reign. In the Victorian era, it became customary for brides to save a sprig of myrtle or ivy from the bridal bouquet and plant it to be used for generations to come.
Queen Victoria planted the fragrant myrtle and all royal brides in her family, including Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana of Wales, have carried a sprig of myrtle on their wedding day.
Kate Middleton will embrace the royal wedding tradition with her bridal bouquet. Sources say she will also place her nose gay on the Unknown Warrior’s grave in Westminster Abbey, just as Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana did.
“In ancient Hebrew times, myrtle was a symbol of marriage. As a Victorian symbol, myrtle symbolizes fidelity and is thought to bring good luck – an emblem of everlasting love, marital bliss, and desire,” wrote Kenzy England.
Sprig of the fragrant myrtle flower.
Victoria and Albert wedding picture
Grace wore this full-skirted evening gown by Edith Head in Hitchcock's Rear Window in 1954.
I dunno... I understand why the “colonies” originally decided to dispense with the heraldry of the crown. We forcibly decided to do without nobility. And... to be sure... for some pretty good reasons.
But I wonder if we aren’t fighting some basic human nature at the same time. I have a theory that it’s just basic human nature to want Kings. Even when we don’t truly have them, we tend to create them. Look at Hollywood and popular media... we may not have true royalty, but we raise up people to take their place.
The idea of someone “born and bred” to lead is appealing, I think.
Whereas presidents spring out of nowhere.
Becoming a superpower under a president isn’t half bad. As the sun now actually sets on the British Empire.
There’s good and bad presidents just as there are good and bad kings.
Princess Grace's wedding cake under construction.
Bride and groom with cake.
If you want to see it in realtime, probably have to start watching at 4:00 AM.
Later filmed segments will be aired throughout the day....and thereafter.
Nosegay bouquet.
Thanks for the post! I’m so excited to watch the wedding!! Is anyone doing an official thread?
Liz! Loved the drawings, especially. I think you’ll enjoy this. I follow India Hicks’ charming design blog. She was one of Diana’s little bridesmaids. Here is a link to an article with great pictures that she wrote a couple of months ago when the wedding was announced.
http://www.indiahicks.com/storage/FEB%20INDIA%20HICKS.pdf
I’m sure someone will start a thread.
Grace was very lovely. It is so nice to see real fashion instead of the horrors of Moochelle.
I think Kate will make a beautiful bride.
I sure hope she is treated better than Charles treated Diana.
Just read Kate is keeping out of sight but the media is hounding her sister Pippa (maid of honor) and her mom.
Amen. I hope the days of "dressing up" will return.
Moochelle intended to recreate the Kennedy aura----but she flopped redecorating the WH, and caused global horror gallivanting around Europe. She looked like she wore a chenille bedspread at the Inaugural Ball.
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Jackie Kennedy was the epitome of a First Lady. her redecorating the WH was her finest accomplishment. She was hailed as she traveled the world in exquisite clothing.
In Oleg Cassini's 1987 autobio---In My Own Fashion---Jackie's designer wrote that she wanted to wear the gown he designed for the Inaugural Ball, but that she had already ordered a custom-made gown from Bendel's and could not back out of the order. She did wear Cassini's magnificent gown-----to a ball held the night before.
Later she wanted the Cassini gown in the Smithsonian collection of First Lady inagural ball gowns--she loved it so much. But they insisted she submit the Bendel gown since it was the one she wore. In several Jackie bios she is shown in the Bendel gown
This is Jackie in the Bendel. She wore a cape over it for the ball.
CASSINI'S EXQUISITE INAGURAL BALL GOWN
JACKIE'S WEDDING DRESS (which she hated)
Highbrow Brits don't like the charming painting done
by a young Brit artist. Will prove its value over time.
King George's future queen on her wedding day.
The Royal Family.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, on Honeymoon at Polesden Lacey in Surrey.
SECRET GARDEN at Polesden Lacey in Surrey
King George, the bridegroom's grandfather---a very handsome monarch.
BEAUTIFUL thread, Liz... thank you! :-)
Glad you liked it.
ping
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