As Ambani Wedding Craze Transfixes India, Let's Revisit This Royal Wedding That Once Became Global Phenomenon

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Anant Ambani, son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, is set to marry Radhika Merchant. This wedding is being hailed as the event of the year. The preparations and parties have captivated the nation, featuring high-profile guests like Silicon Valley billionaires and Bollywood stars.

The Ambani family, known for their immense wealth, has showcased their opulence through extravagant jewellery and lavish celebrations.
The Indian wedding industry is valued at approximately $130 billion, nearly double that of America's. It plays a crucial role in boosting sectors such as fashion and travel.

Indian weddings are often grand affairs, with an average cost exceeding three times the annual household income. These events are symbols of power and status, leading parents to spend a large portion of their savings on their children's weddings. The scale of these celebrations has grown alongside India's economic rise.

Amid the Ambani wedding craze that is transfixing India, let us revisit this royal wedding that once became a global phenomenon and still lingers in all our hearts.

Royal Wedding Of Prince Charles And Lady Diana

Weddings are typically once-in-a-lifetime events. Every couple dreams of making their special day grand and memorable. While ordinary people have their own ideas of a royal wedding, the British monarchy sets a different standard altogether. The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana epitomized this opulence.

The royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, often dubbed the 'wedding of the century. Their wedding was held on 29 July 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral in London and the cost was about USD 48 million at that time, which translates to around USD 156 million today or approximately INR 1,000 crore.

This lavish ceremony was attended by 3,500 guests and watched by 750 million viewers worldwide on television. Despite being over four decades old, this event still remains one of the most talked-about weddings in history.

Lady Diana's Iconic Wedding Dress

In February 1981, just five months before their wedding, Prince Charles announced his engagement to Diana publicly. This grand event marked the first time in 300 years that a British citizen married an heir to the throne.

Lady Diana's wedding dress was another highlight of the event. Designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, it was made from silk and adorned with real pearls. Today, its estimated value is around USD 490,000 or approximately INR 4.1 crore. The gown took three months to craft and featured ivory silk taffeta with hand embroidery that included over 10,000 micro pearls.

The dress had puffy sleeves, a ruffled neckline, and a lace border made from scraps acquired at an auction. However, its most striking feature was its massive 25-foot-long train. Her shoes were made of silk and accessorized with 542 sequins and 132 pearls.

During the ceremony, Lady Diana broke tradition by omitting the word 'obey' from her vows to Prince Charles. This departure from the Anglican
Book of Common Prayer was significant at that time.

How Many Gifts Did The Couple Receive?

The New York Times reported that the couple received over 3,000 gifts on their engagement and wedding day. These included expensive diamond and gold jewelry, rare watches, and costly crockery. The wedding featured live music from 250 musicians and hosted 1,400 guests.

Despite its grandeur, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage was not a happy one. They eventually divorced in 1996, just a year before Diana's tragic death in a car accident alongside her boyfriend Dodi Fayed.
This 'wedding of the century' remains the world's most expensive wedding but later turned out to be scandalous due to their troubled marriage.