We won’t know for sure who will be designing Meghan Markle’s wedding dress until we see her gliding down the aisle into Prince Harry’s arms on the 19th of May but that hasn’t stopped the gossip engines from whirring! Here are the four most frequently-mentioned designers in connection with the upcoming royal wedding, and one who is definitely out of the race.
In the running
Erdem
Erdem is considered to be the most likely designer for Meghan’s wedding dress. Picking a designer with ties to the United Kingdom and Canada, like Erdem, not only would be a tribute to her new home at Kensington Palace, but also a fitting nod to Toronto, where she filmed Suits before she got engaged to Prince Harry.
Image: www.erdem.com
Ralph and Russo
Ralph & Russo, the British brand who designed the black and gold gown Meghan wore in her stunning B&W engagement photos, are also likely contenders to design the wedding dress of the year. They closed their SS16 couture show with one of the biggest wedding gowns in couture history: a dress with a train so long it required six atelier staff to turn it at the end of the runway, so they’re used to creating show-stoppers.
Image: www.ralphandrusso.com
Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen is no stranger to royal weddings - the brand’s creative director Sarah Burton designed the dress worn by Catherine Middleton during her wedding to Prince William in 2011. In late February, betting on McQueen to design Meghan’s dress intensified so quickly that Betfair suspended all bets on the dress designer. Many believe that the heightened interest in McQueen is due to an information leak, but nothing has been confirmed.
Image: www.alexandermcqueen.com
Roland Mouret
French designer Roland Mouret is a friend of Meghan’s, and his comments during a recent interview have led people to believe he may be the one designing her dress. "Meghan knows really well what she likes and the main thing with Meghan is to listen to her and work in collaboration with her," Mouret said, adding: "I've already said too much." Interesting…
Image: www.rolandmouret.com
Out of the race
Victoria Beckham
After Meghan wore one of her designs in her official engagement portraits, there were rumours that Posh’s atelier could be crafting the gown – but Victoria herself laid the rumour to rest. “She looked absolutely beautiful in my jumper. I’m sure it will be a really fun wedding," she told the Guardian. "But no, she hasn’t asked me to do the dress.” Which is a pity…
Image: Eva Longoria's wedding dress designed by Victoria Beckham - Marie Claire
Alexi Lubomirski/Kensington Palace