Kate Middleton had a second wedding dress when she married Prince William for this reason

Kate Middleton married Prince William at Westminster Abbey nearly ten years after the couple first met. Since getting married, the couple have had three children together, Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince Louis, one. For her nuptials, she wore a stunning custom design by the fashion house, Alexander McQueen, which is instantly recognisable to many. However, she also had a second wedding dress which many people do not know about.

READ MORE: Did Meghan Markle or Kate Middleton’s wedding flowers cost more? One Duchess spent £800k 

What was her dress like?

For her main dress, the Duchess wore a Victorian-inspired design made by the British designer, Sarah Burton, for Alexander McQueen.

It had a fitted bodice and a lace sleeves and panelling which created a v-neck style.

The garment had a full skirt and Kate styled this with a veil which was nine feet long.

Kate is said to have got involved in the design of the dress to make sure it was fit for a royal wedding while still having a modern feel.

An official statement said: “Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity.”

Why did she have a second dress?

Kate had a televised wedding ceremony and a reported 23 million viewers tuned in to watch the nuptials.

After the official ceremony, Kate decided to slip into another design to enjoy her reception.

Her second gown, also designed by Sarah Burton, was just as glamorous and was made of satin with a sweetheart neckline.

The dress had large diamond detailing around the waistline and she paired this with a cream furry cropped cardigan.

It is likely she made the switch so she could be more comfortable as she enjoyed her reception.

While she was so involved in the design of her first dress, it is believed she gave a nod to the Royal Family. 

In the stitching of the bodice, there was a lace pattern which featured the design of a rose, thistles and shamrock, representing her country.

She wanted the design to be similar to other royals and asked that is was a play on a traditional design.

Over the years, Kate has become known for her great style and recently wore a pink dress to attend a polo game with Meghan Markle, 37. 

How did Kate Middleton become a royal?

Early life

Kate Middleton, or Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was born on 9 January 1982 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, England.

She was born to Michael and Carole Middleton, a former flight dispatcher and air hostess. The couple founded a party supplies company, Party Pieces, in 1987 - now estimated to be worth £30 million.

Kate has a younger sister Pippa Matthews, 34, and a younger brother James Middleton, 31.

Education

Kate and her family moved to Amman, Jordan, in 1984, where the future Duchess was educated at an English-speaking nursery school.

After moving back to Berkshire the family sent Kate to private school, St Andrews School. She went on to briefly study at Downe House before moving onto Marlborough College where she boarded.

For university the young Kate attended the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. Here she was awarded an undergraduate MA (2:1 Hons) in history of art.

Relationship with Prince William

Kate met Prince William when they were both studying at St Andrews, and both living in St Salvator's Hall. Famously, William reportedly took a fancy to Kate after she wore a see-through dress during a fashion show.

In 2003 the couple began dating and lived together during their second year of university.

The couple split in April 2007, however, in October they were back together.

Wedding

Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother Princess Diana’s engagement ring in October 2010. The couple were holidaying in Kenya at the time.

On 29 April 2011 they married at Westminster Abbey with a whopping 26 million watching the event live.

Kate wore an Alexander McQueen dress worth a reported £250,000 on the big day.

Kate assumed the title "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge" and also become the Duchess of Cambridge on the day.