Meghan Markle wedding dress: Classic Givenchy gown vs sexy Stella McCartney design

Meghan Markle, 36, married Prince Harry, 33, in a lavish ceremony in Windsor for the Royal Wedding.

The new Duchess of Sussex wore two wedding dresses for her big day, both very different in style.

Both were designed by British women at the top of the fashion tree, and were widely praised by fashion pundits.

She also changed her hair and jewellery with each dress, giving a totally different overall look.

But which do you prefer? Express.co.uk compares the two stunning dresses.

Church service

Meghan appointed Clare Waight Keller at Givenchy to design her first dress, worn in St George’s Chapel.

It had a bateau neckline, a nipped in waist, long sleeves and it was traditional white.

Kensington Palace released details of the dress on the day, and wrote: “The dress epitomises a timeless minimal elegance referencing the codes of the iconic House of Givenchy and showcasing the expert craftsmanship of its world-renowned Parisian couture atelier founded in 1952.

“True to the heritage of the house, the pure lines of the dress are achieved using six meticulously placed seams. The focus of the dress is the graphic open bateau neckline that gracefully frames the shoulders and emphasises the slender sculpted waist.

“The lines of the dress extend towards the back where the train flows in soft round folds cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza. The slim three-quarter sleeves add a note of refined modernity.”

Evening reception

Harry and Meghan headed to Frogmore House for their evening party and sit down dinner.

The couple were seen driving to the reception in a silver blue E-Type Jaguar, and Harry had changed into a tuxedo.

Meghan changed in to a bespoke Stella McCartney gown for the evening.

McCartney tweeted to describe the dress, and said it was “a bespoke high neck lily white gown in silk crepe”.

Meghan paired this with an aquamarine cocktail ring owned by the late Princess Diana. The ring was part of a set complete with a matching bracelet.

Diana was seen wearing the ring just months before she died in 1997, to an auction of her own wardrobe at Christie’s.

How did Meghan Markle’s first dress compare to Kate Middleton‘s choice in 2011? Both brides had the eyes of the world on them for their special day.

Anticipation for Meghan’s dress was high, with bets being placed on who would design it weeks in advance.

Speculation over Kate’s dress was also rife at the time, with many British designers names put forward to create her gown.

In the end, Meghan chose Givenchy, while Kate opted for Alexander McQueen.

But how do the two dresses compare? From the materials, to the designers, Express.co.uk looks at Meghan and Kate’s wedding dresses.