HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark and HH Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
February 3, 1968
Fredensborg, Denmark
Much like the wedding of younger child
Princess Margriet we recently looked at, the timing of Princess Benedikte's wedding put it directly in the shadow of the wedding of her older sister, the future queen. Benedikte's engagement to Prince Richard was announced a few months before the wedding of Margrethe and Henrik, and the wedding was held several months after. It was a lower key affair, held in the Chapel of Fredensborg Palace, but the dress was just as grand.
Benedikte's gown was the second royal wedding dress in only a few months and the third in only a few years for Danish couturier Jørgen Bender, who created the gowns for both of Benedikte's sisters,
Margrethe and
Anne-Marie. (Later, he would also design wedding gowns for
Benedikte's daughter Alexandra and
another Princess Alexandra too.)
The gown is made of white silk with long sleeves, a slim skirt, and a grand royal train extending from the shoulders. The high waist is accented with two small bows, each adorned with a diamond star. The dress shares similarities with those of Benedikte's sisters, as they were not only a product of the same designer but also of the same time period, with its distinctive style.
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| The three sisters: Margrethe, Benedikte, and Anne-Marie |
They also share accessories, as the Danish royal family have multiple wedding traditions. Benedikte wore the
Khedive of Egypt Tiara, as
all female descendants of her mother Queen Ingrid have done; she also wore
the family wedding veil, which comes (as does the Khedive) from Ingrid's mother Princess Margaret of Connaught and has been worn by all female descendants plus Crown Princess Mary. Benedikte also used the additional lace from Margaret's gift as adornment on her dress, just visible in panels on the side.
Benedikte and Richard have three children, Gustav, Alexandra, and Nathalie, and three grandchildren. She still plays an active role in the Danish royal house and we see the couple at royal events regularly.
Which dress is your favorite: Margrethe, Benedikte, or Anne-Marie?
Photos: Polfoto/The Royal Forums/Getty Images
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