Princess Elizabeth, 1947

The future Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947, in ivory silk by Norman Hartnell. This official portrait at Buckingham Palace shows the long star-patterned train spread down the steps. Hartnell took the embroidery from Botticelli's Primavera and covered the dress in about 10,000 seed pearls. Britain still had clothes rationing, so the fabric was bought with ration coupons, and the government allowed the princess 200 extra.