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Marriage of Queen Victoria on the 10th February 1840, by Sir George Hayter (1792 1871). On 10 February 1840, Queen Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg and Gotha, in the Chapel Royal, St James. Though white has long been accepted as the traditional colour of wedding dresses, it was actually Victoria’s dress white satin trimmed with Honiton lace that established this custom. White has since been by far the most popular choice for bridal gowns.

The archaeology of royal weddings

As Prince William’s and Kate Middleton’s nuptials this month stir up feverish national excitement, what light can archaeology shed on the pomp and pageantry of the most magnificent of Royal occasions? Brendon Wilkins goes in search of the evidence.