Why didn't the Queen like Meghan Markle's wedding dress?

Queen Elizabeth’s Subtle Disapproval of Meghan’s Wedding Dress

When Meghan Markle walked down the aisle at St George’s Chapel in May 2018, her minimalist Givenchy gown was widely praised for its modern elegance. But behind the scenes, not everyone in the royal family was entirely thrilled. According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, Queen Elizabeth II reportedly had reservations about the choice of dress—specifically, its strikingly bright white hue.

The late monarch, known for her deep respect for tradition, allegedly felt that such a purely white gown was more fitting for a first marriage than for a divorcée entering a church wedding. In royal circles, subtlety often speaks volumes, and the Queen’s quiet disapproval reflected a longstanding sensibility about decorum and symbolism. White, historically associated with purity and new beginnings, has long been a subject of unspoken rules within royal protocol.

Meghan, a divorced woman entering her second marriage, might have been expected by some traditionalists to opt for a more muted tone or a different style altogether—one that acknowledged her personal history while still honoring the occasion. Instead, her choice leaned into modernity and self-expression, a hallmark of her approach to royal life.

While the Queen never publicly criticized the dress, the anecdote reveals a quiet generational and cultural divide. Elizabeth represented continuity and restraint; Meghan, for many, symbolized change and openness. This small detail—just a shade of white—became a quiet echo of larger tensions between tradition and evolution within the monarchy.

Ultimately, the wedding dress remains a symbol of personal choice. But as Seward’s account suggests, in the royal world, even fabric and color carry weight. And sometimes, what seems like a simple gown speaks volumes about who we are—and who we’re expected to be.