Royal wedding bridesmaids and supporters

Prince William and Catherine Middleton's choice of attendants for their wedding day continue a long tradition of including royal relatives in their wedding party. Prince William has chosen his brother, Prince Harry, as his best-man (or supporter) and Catherine has chosen her sister Pippa as her Maid of honor.

Here's a look back at some royal wedding parties from the past.

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
British Monarchy Flickr

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert - February 10, 1840

Supporters: Prince Albert's father, the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha and his brother, Prince Ernest, The Hereditary Prince

12 train bearers - all daughters of peers of the realm

Prince & Princess of Wales
Source: Wikipedia

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales & Princess Alexandra of Denmark - March 10, 1863

Supporters: His brother-in-law, Crown Prince of Prussia and his uncle Ernest, Duke of Coburg

Bridesmaids: Eight unmarried daughters of earls and countesses

Prince George, Duke of York, and Princess May of Teck July 6, 1893

Supporters: The Groom's father, The Prince of Wales and his uncle, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.

Bridesmaids: Nine granddaughters and one great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria:

Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh, Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, Princess Victoria and Princess Maud of Wales. Princess Alice of Battenberg, Princess Margaret of Connaught, Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh, Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg and Princess Patricia of Connaught

Princess Mary
Source: Wikipedia

Princess Mary & Viscount Lascelles - February 28, 1922

Eight bridesmaids, including Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon

Prince Albert, Duke of York & Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon - April 26, 1923

Supporter/Best man: The Prince of Wales

Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady May Cambridge, the Hon. Diamond Hardinge, Lady Mary Thynne, Lady Katherine Hamilton, Miss Elizabeth Cator, the Hon. Elizabeth  Elphinstone and the Hon. Cecilia Bowes Lyon

Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark November 29, 1934

Best man: The Prince of Wales

Eight bridesmaids: Princess Elizabeth of York, Princesses Irene, Eugenie and Katherine of Greece, Princess Juliana (later Queen) of the Netherlands, the Grand Duchess Kira of Russia, Lady Mary Cambridge and Lady Iris Mountbatten

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester & Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott November 6, 1935

Best men/Supporters: The Prince of Wales and The Duke of York

Eight bridesmaids: Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Lady Mary Cambridge, Miss Anne Hawkins, Miss Claire Phipps, Lady Elizabeth Scott, Lady Angela Scott and Miss Moyra Scott.

Princess Elizabeth & Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten - November 20, 1947

Supporter/Best man - Prince Philip's first cousin, the third Marquess of Milford Haven

Eight bridesmaids: HRH Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambart, The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten, The Hon Margaret Elphinstone, The Hon Diana Bowes-Lyon

Pages: Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent

Princess Margaret & Antony Armstrong Jones - May 6, 1960

Best man/Supporter: Dr. Roger W. Gilliatt. Originally Jeremy Fry but he was caught in a scandal. In 1952 he had been arrested in Hyde Park, and fined £2 after pleading "guilty to a minor offense."

Eight child bridesmaids, including Princess Anne

Princess Alexandra & Angus Ogilvy - April 24, 1963

Supporter/Best man: Hon Peregrine Fairfax

2 pages and 5 Bridesmaids, including Elizabeth, Archduchess of Austria and Princess Anne

Princess Anne & Captain Mark Philips November 14, 1973

Supporter/Best man - Captain Eric Grounds

Bridesmaid: Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones. Page: Prince Edward. Princess Anne deliberately chose to have only two attendants because of her previous experience as a bridesmaid wrangling 'unruly children.'

Prince Charles & Lady Diana Spencer July 29, 1981

Supporters/Best men: Prince Andrew and Prince Edward

Bridesmaids: Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones, Catherine Cameron, India Hicks, Clementine Hambro, Sarah Jane Gaselee

Pages: Lord Nicholas Windsor & Edward van Cutsem

Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson - July 23, 1986

Supporter/Best man - Prince Edward

Bridesmaids - Lady Rosanagh Innes-Ker, Miss Laura Fellowes, Miss Zara Philips, Miss Alice Ferguson

Pages: Prince William, Peter Phillips, Andrew Ferguson, Seamus Makim

Prince Edward & Sophie Rhys Jones - June 19, 1999

Supporters/Best man: The Prince of Wales & The Duke of York

Bridesmaids: Camilla Hadden and Olivia Taylor

Pageboys: Harry Warburton and Felix Sowerbutts

Prince William & Catherine Middleton - April 29, 2011

Best man: Prince Harry
Maid of Honor: Pippa Middleton

Bridesmaids: The Lady Louise Windsor, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes,

Pageboys: Master William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton, Master Tom Pettifer

© Marilyn Braun 2011

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