KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
KATE’S DRESS by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
I admired Princess Diana enormously. For awhile, she went to a secondary school not far from mine. Our schools played netball matches (English version basketball) against each other. I grew up in her time, in her neighborhoods, and in her culture. I watched her fairytale wedding, and like everyone else, I expected her love story to continue happily ever after.
While her marriage did not last, Princess Diana can be proud of the two wonderful children it produced, whom she loved and cherished her whole adult life. When Prince William announced that he had given his fiancée, Kate (Catherine) Middleton, his mother’s ring, because he wanted his mother to be part of his engagement announcement, it was not Diana’s ring that brought tears to my eyes. It was Prince William’s proud smile as he spoke. In his smile, I saw his mother, Diana, and I then believed that her dreams for her son Prince William were well on their way to being realized.
Prince William’s bride-to-be is someone I know would make his mother proud. She is a modern woman. She is tall and slim. She is magnetic. She looks natural and beautiful, and has a classic sense of style that is both elegant as well as very contemporary.
Over the past two months, Theresa Blake and I have explored wedding dresses inspired by Princesses and Queens through the centuries. Today we reveal the wedding dress we visualize for Kate (Catherine) Middleton on her wedding day.
We have selected a gown (see the Athenae style below) created by Theresa which bridges the centuries. It is elaborate and sculptural. It has hints of the 1880’s bustle gowns and is combined with a fully boned corset bodice. The draped asymmetrical skirt has multiple layers of taffeta, lace and satin, and is trimmed with satin bows to one side. The eau de nil silk taffeta gown is further embellished with antique lace, lilac cut-velvet flower decorations, diamante, pearls and Swarovski crystals.
Indeed, a magnificent dress for a beautiful Princess-to-be Kate (Catherine) Middleton, for her wedding on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London.
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress by Theresa Blake was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
PRINCESS DIANA’S STYLE by C. M. Rubin
“When I grow up I want to work with children and make their lives better,” wrote the young Diana Spencer in a careers lesson when she was a pupil at West Heath School in England.
After attending finishing school at the Institut Alpin Videmanette in Switzerland, Diana became a kindergarten teacher. She was no stranger to the British Royal family. She had played with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward as a child growing up. When she was 16 years old, she became reacquainted with their older brother, Prince Charles. Charles was 13 years her senior.
When Charles and Diana married on July 29, 1981, the ceremony was considered the wedding of the century. Millions of people from all around the world tuned in, excited to catch their first glimpse of Diana in her wedding dress.
Elizabeth and David Emanuel’s beautiful dress, inspired by a romantic princess look, did not disappoint. It had huge puffed sleeves with a full skirt of ivory silk, pure taffeta, old lace, and hand embroidery. Ten thousand pearls and sequins adorned the fabric. The dress had a twenty five foot train. In a television interview, David Emanuel complained that the carriage in which Diana was brought to the cathedral was far too small for her and their creation, which became very creased on route. However, nothing would stop Diana’s wedding dress from setting a fairy tale fashion trend for weddings of the 1980’s.
Unfortunately, the fairy tale wedding did not lead to a happily ever after marriage. The couple’s separation was announced in December, 1992, and a divorce was finalized in 1996. Diana, however, became the most influential fashion icon of the 20th century in clothes, accessories, make-up, and hair. Along the way, she supported many British designers, including Arabella Pollen, Bruce Oldfield, Amanda Wakeley, and Catherine Walker. Later on, her designers of choice included Versace, Christian Lacroix, Ungaro, and Chanel.
Princess Diana devoted herself to her sons, to numerous charities, and to work to help the homeless, people living with HIV and AIDS, and children in need.
Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Her funeral took place in Westminster Abbey on Sept 6.
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of Diana’s eldest son, His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C. M.(Catherine) Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
Princess Diana and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Queen Elizabeth - Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
THE KING’S SPEECH - ELEVEN THINGS THE MOVIE WON’T TELL YOU ABOUT HIS QUEEN by C. M. Rubin
The King’s Speech is the private story of a famous public man, King George VI (Prince Albert, Duke of York, also known as “Bertie”, played by Colin Firth), his Queen, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (played by Helena Bonham Carter), who loved him, and the Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue (played by Geoffrey Rush), who helped him overcome his stammer and in the process find his voice at a time when Great Britain needed strong leadership. Colin Firth collected a Screen Actor’s Guild award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA award, and an Academy Award for his performance as King George VI. Here are ELEVEN things The King’s Speech won’t tell you about King George VI’s real life love, his Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
1. Elizabeth was born the Honorable Elizabeth in London, England on August 4, 1900, and died on March 30, 2002 at age 101 as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
2. She was the ninth and second to last child in a warm and close family, and she became Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon when her father was named the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.
3. Elizabeth loved talking and was known throughout her life to be able to talk to anyone, her philosophy for life being: “Life is for living and working at. If you find anything or anybody a bore, the fault is in yourself.”
4. She was educated at home at first by her mother and then by French governesses, and by the time she was ten, she spoke French fluently.
5. A dance in London in May, 1920 is reputed to be the place she made a big impression on Prince Albert, although the courtship that followed had many ups and downs, since young Elizabeth kept turning down the Duke’s marriage proposals.
6. She finally accepted the Duke of York’s proposal and their marriage took place at Westminster Abbey on April 26, 1923.
7. Her wedding gown, which followed the fashions of the day, was designed by Madame Handley Seymour, a former London Court dressmaker. After the Duke and Duchess became King and Queen in 1937, fashion designer Norman Hartnell was summoned into Royal service to create Elizabeth’s regal transformation.
8. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth went to Canada and the United States after their coronation, where they became close friends with President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
9. After bombs were dropped on Buckingham Palace in World War II, Elizabeth is remembered for saying: “I’m glad we’ve been bombed. It makes me feel I can look the East End (of London which suffered much devastation from the bombings) in the face.”
10. When advisors recommended her two daughters be evacuated to Canada, the Queen replied: “They cannot go without me, I will never leave the king, and he will never leave the country.”
11. On the subject of the importance of Royal duties, Elizabeth once told her daughters: “The work you do is the rent you pay for the room you occupy on earth.”
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C. M.(Catherine) Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
Queen Mum
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
Queen Consort Marie Antoinette
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C.M. (Catherine) Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
QUEEN CONSORT MARIE ANTOINETTE - 18th Century Queens by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) was born in Austria to Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, and his Austrian Empress, Maria Theresa. She has been called France’s unhappiest queen. She was married off by her mother at age 14 to Louis XVI with the hope that this union might further Austria’s interest in France. Young Marie was poorly educated and unprepared for the dynastic political intrigues that followed. Prudish by nature, she became thoroughly embarrassed by her husband’s widely known failure to have sexual intercourse for several years. Despite this setback, Marie Antoinette still managed to give birth to a daughter, in 1778, and sons in 1781 and 1785. She was a devoted mother. She was also perceived as frivolous and extravagant, with a habit of spending lavishly on fashionable clothes and palaces.
After the Bastille was stormed on July 14, 1789, the queen urged her husband to resist the rebels’ reforms, making her very unpopular and leading to the attribution to her of the remark, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche!” — “Let them eat cake!” The royal couple were forced to move to Paris. After the First French Republic was established in 1792, they were imprisoned by the revolutionaries. Marie Antoinette continued to plot for foreign intervention to end the revolution and free her family. Many attempts to escape failed. Ultimately, Louis XVI was executed in January, 1793. Marie Antoinette is remembered for her dignity and great courage while the Revolution subjected her to horrific brutalities before she was finally executed by the guillotine on October 16 of 1793.
Theresa Blake’s stunning eighteenth century style wedding dress below is inspired by Marie Antoinette. It is in cloud pink regal dupion and consistes of a corseted jacket/bodice with a separate skirt worn over pannier supports. The shell pink corseted bodice is ornamented with an eye-catching embroidered and beaded stomacher panel, and finishes in a shaped and pleated peplum, embroidered and edged in antique lace. The bodice is laced at the back to achieve a corset-like finish. It has fitted elbow-length sleeves ending in large, romantic cuffs with lace sleeve flounces. The skirt has an open front to show off the beautiful scrolling floral embroidery and draped panniers, again edged in lace.
C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
To Dress A Princess
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
”The Accolade”
PRINCESS ISOLDE OF IRELAND by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
On April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey will be the setting for the most anticipated wedding of the year — the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales and Kate (Catherine) Middleton. To honor the event, author C.M. Rubin and designer Theresa Blake have joined forces to bring you a series of stories which focus on wedding dresses worn by famous Royal Princesses and Queens over the centuries that continue to inspire wedding dress designers and brides to this day. Who knows? Perhaps one of these historic royal gowns has already inspired the best kept secret for April 29, 2011 — what will Princess-to-be Kate Middleton be wearing?
The legendary love story of Tristan and Princess Isolde takes place in the fifth century during the reign of King Arthur. Princess Isolde of Ireland was the daughter of King Angwish of Ireland. There are several versions of the story behind the legend; here is one of the popular ones. The beautiful Princess Isolde was betrothed to King Mark of Cornwall. King Mark sent his handsome nephew, Tristan, to bring home his bride, the Princess Isolde. However, during the journey back to Cornwall, Tristan and Isolde fall madly in love with each other. Princess Isolde goes ahead and marries King Mark upon arrival in Cornwall but continues to see Tristan. King Mark finds out and banishes Tristan from Cornwall. Tristan moves to King Arthur’s court and later to Brittany where he meets and marries Iseult of Brittany (because of her resemblance to Isolde). Tristan, however, is unable to consummate the marriage because of his strong feelings for his true love, Princess Isolde. Tristan falls ill and sends ships for his beloved Isolde. The returning ship’s white sails are the lovers’ signal that Princess Isolde is coming back to Tristan. Iseult lies to Tristan, telling him that the white sails are black. Tristan dies of grief before Isolde can get to him. Soon after, Isolde too dies of a broken heart.
Theresa Blake’s design for Princess Isolde’s wedding gown, shown below, is inspired by the famous painting, “The Accolade,” by Edmund Blair-Leighton, seen above. The white gown of duchesse satin has a sumptuous, multi-layered chiffon skirt and dramatic, flowing, medieval style, long hanging sleeves. The lightly corseted bodice is laced at the back to emphasize the silhouette. A belt of dazzling jewels and facetted stones surround the Princess’ hips.
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
To Dress A Princess
KATE MIDDLETON - TO DRESS A PRINCESS
KATE’S DRESS by C. M. Rubin and Theresa Blake
I admired Princess Diana enormously. For awhile, she went to a secondary school not far from mine. Our schools played netball matches (English version basketball) against each other. I grew up in her time, in her neighborhoods, and in her culture. I watched her fairytale wedding, and like everyone else, I expected her love story to continue happily ever after.
While her marriage did not last, Princess Diana can be proud of the two wonderful children it produced, whom she loved and cherished her whole adult life. When Prince William announced that he had given his fiancée, Kate (Catherine) Middleton, his mother’s ring, because he wanted his mother to be part of his engagement announcement, it was not Diana’s ring that brought tears to my eyes. It was Prince William’s proud smile as he spoke. In his smile, I saw his mother, Diana, and I then believed that her dreams for her son Prince William were well on their way to being realized.
Prince William’s bride-to-be is someone I know would make his mother proud. She is a modern woman. She is tall and slim. She is magnetic. She looks natural and beautiful, and has a classic sense of style that is both elegant as well as very contemporary.
Over the past three weeks, Theresa Blake and I have explored wedding dresses inspired by Princesses and Queens through the centuries. Today we reveal the wedding dress we visualize for Kate (Catherine) Middleton on her wedding day.
We have selected a gown (see the Athenae style below) created by Theresa which bridges the centuries. It is elaborate and sculptural. It has hints of the 1880’s bustle gowns and is combined with a fully boned corset bodice. The draped asymmetrical skirt has multiple layers of taffeta, lace and satin, and is trimmed with satin bows to one side. The eau de nil silk taffeta gown is further embellished with antique lace, lilac cut-velvet flower decorations, diamante, pearls and Swarovski crystals.
Indeed, a magnificent dress for a beautiful Princess-to-be Kate (Catherine) Middleton, for her wedding on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London.
C. M. (Catherine) Rubin and Theresa Blake met when they collaborated on a reproduction of the design of the original wedding dress worn by Alice Pleasance Liddell (the Alice behind Wonderland) at her wedding in 1880 in the world reknowned Westminster Abbey in London. An illustration of Alice Liddell’s dress by Theresa Blake was featured in C.M. Rubin’s bestselling book, The Real Alice In Wonderland.
