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A ROYAL WEDDING
Mary, Princess Royal, married Henry, ViscountLascelles, at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday, 28 February 1922.
A ROYAL ENGAGEMENT
Princess Mary, the only daughter of George V, first met Henry, Viscount Lascelles, at the Grand National in 1921. They were often seen in each other’s company, and particularly enjoyed riding and hunting together. The relationship moved quickly as Henry was soon enjoying invitations to join the royal family at Balmoral and Sandringham.
Henry proposed to Mary at York Cottage on 20 November 1921, however it was kept quiet until the king had given his formal consent. Mary’s family were excited by the engagement and her parents were quick to give their blessing.
Henry, a former soldier, was a friend of Mary’s older brother, Edward, and was the eldest son of Henry Lascelles, 5th Earl of Harewood.
THE WEDDING
The wedding took place at Westminster Abbey on 28 February 1922 and was the first major royal wedding to take place after the First World War.
The wedding caused a great deal of excitement amongst the general public as it presented them with the opportunity to come together to celebrate a joyful occasion after so much heartache. Thousands of well-wishers were packed along the route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
On the way back to Buckingham Palace, the couple stopped at the Cenotaph where the princess had a soldier place her wedding bouquet at the foot of the memorial.
WEDDING DRESS
The bride wore an ivory gown made by Messrs Reville at Hanover Square, using cloth of silver bought by Queen Mary in India. The gown and train were both embroidered with flowers and symbols representing the British Empire. The train was also trimmed at the shoulders with Honiton lace gifted by Queen Mary.
Instead of wearing a tiara, the princess opted for a floral bridal wreath of orange blossom to secure her veil in place.
The dress sometimes appears on display at Harewood House.
THE BRIDESMAIDS
The eight bridesmaids wore cloth of silver over ivory satin with a lover’s knot of blue at their waists. They wore identical brooches with the initials M and H given to them by Lascelles and carried bouquets of sweet peas.
THE HONEYMOON
After the wedding breakfast, the couple travelled by train to Weston Park, Staffordshire, the ancestral home of Henry’s mother’s family, the earls of Bradford. The estate features beautifully landscaped gardens by Capability Brown and it was gifted to the nation in 1986.
After a few days, the couple travelled on to France and Italy.