Not Princess Diana or Kim Kardashian, this woman had the most dramatic wedding dress of all time adorned with diamonds

Updated on: Dec 18, 2025, 16:06:36 IST

By Krishna Pallavi Priya

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Edwidge Elisabeth Charlotte Holstein-Gottorp's wedding gown. (Instagram/@defunctfashion)

Fashion creator Mae Sharifi names Edwidge Elisabeth Charlotte Holstein-Gottorp's 1774 gown as the most beautiful wedding dress ever.

Historically, Princess Diana's wedding dress has been frequently hailed as one of the most stunning gowns of all time. The ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 140 m tulle veil, was worn by her to marry King Charles, then Prince of Wales, in 1981 at St Paul's Cathedral.

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In modern times, the wedding gowns of Kate Middleton, Kim Kardashian, and even Priyanka Chopra have been described as stunning. However, according to Mae Sharifi, a fashion and history content creator, it is not Princess Diana, Kate Middleton or Kim Kardashian who had the ‘most extra wedding dress.’ It was Edwidge Elisabeth Charlotte Holstein-Gottorp.

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A post shared by Mae Sharifi (@history_mae)

The most beautiful wedding gown ever

In a post shared on December 13, Mae named the wedding gown of Edwidge Elisabeth Charlotte Holstein-Gottorp (Queen Charlotta of Sweden), wife of Prince Karl and sister-in-law of King Gustav III of Sweden, the most beautiful gown of all time.

Details of Edwidge Elisabeth Charlotte's wedding gown

Charlotta wore the elaborate gown in 1774 to marry her cousin, Charles, Duke of Södermanland, when his brother, the king, couldn’t provide an heir. The dress was inspired by Marie Antoinette's wedding dress.

The wedding dress was made of silver cloth and embroidered with diamonds. It was over-the-top, layered, and full of silver spangles, featuring a very detailed bodice and oversized panniers.

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A post shared by Defunct Fashion (@defunctfashion)

According to a February 2023 Instagram post shared by Defunct Fashion, this dress is also famous for its diminutive waist. However, it also denotes the rather sad fact that the wearer was only 14 when she married.

A 2009 report by The Guardian stated that the dress was displayed at an exhibition of court dress at Versailles, illustrating how clothing became a visual representation of the hierarchy of power within the royal families of Europe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Krishna Pallavi Priya
Krishna Priya Pallavi is a journalist with over 9 years of experience, covering health, fashion, pop culture, travel, wellness, entertainment, festivals, mental health, art, decor, fitness, and sex and relationships. She is an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal, and holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. Her strong academic foundation informs her analytical and detail-oriented approach to storytelling, helping her uncover stories where none seem to exist. Before joining Hindustan Times, Pallavi worked with some of India’s leading media organisations. She spent close to three years at India Today, where she honed her newsroom skills and developed a sharp editorial sensibility. She also worked for over a year and a half at Vagabomb, ScoopWhoop’s feminist digital platform, where she explored stories through a gender-sensitive, socially aware lens. Pallavi has a deep interest in global fashion trends and international fashion seasons, and enjoys interviewing celebrities and tracking pop culture movements—interests that frequently translate into engaging, reader-friendly stories. Alongside lifestyle and entertainment, she has a keen eye for impactful health and wellness journalism, regularly interacting with doctors, designers, and digital content creators to bring nuance and credibility to her work. Born and raised in Haryana, Pallavi remains deeply connected to her ancestral roots in Odisha. Her ability to spot fresh angles brings curiosity and depth to stories she pursues. When not chasing deadlines, she enjoys spending time with her dog, planning her next vacation, reading, running new trails, and discovering new destinations.Read More

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