Hype surrounding the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton is irresistible. Although the designer/design of the gown has been sworn a secret there is quite a bit of speculation going on. The most recent reports suspect British designer Alexander McQueen, creative director, Sarah Burton as the mastermind behind the grand ensemble, though the company denies any involvement.

None the less I’m sure that the world can expect something very over the top yet classically conservative and above all, a gown fit for a queen!

As long as such a monumental event is in the making, lets look back at some of the past wedding gowns of England’s finest. We will see that although many details are recognizable across the board, each gown provides a sign of the times and in some cases, we will see that history can repeat itself. We will also take a look at some of the sketches out there that are believed to resemble the design of Ms. Middleton’s gown.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900-2002) was married in 1923.

Designed by Madame Handley Seymour a former London court dressmaker to Queen Mary, The Queen Mum’s wedding gown was constructed of a silk moiré and was embellished with pearls. It was not considered overly beautiful and portrayed the shapeless silhouette of much of the fashion of that era. The shortened train and manner in which she wore her veil were characteristic of the 1920′s though not typical of prior royal brides.

Queen Elizabeth II (the current Queen of England) was married in 1947

Her gown was designed by Norman Hartnell and was fashioned out a stiff satin, at the queen’s request, combined with a silk, included at Hartnell’s discretion. The beading on the gown was quite extravagant and was scattered from the neckline to the hem. The traditional cathedral length train and double strand of pearls completed her sophisticated royal presence.

Princess Diana(1961-1997) married Prince Charles in 1981.

Wearing one of the most show stopping, iconic wedding gowns of all time, Diana’s wedding dress was designed by Elizabeth Emanuel and was constructed of ivory silk taffeta and vintage lace. With 10,000 tiny pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins hand-sewn onto the bodice along with a 25 foot train, it’s safe to say that Diana carried around quite a bit of extra weight that day.

Whether Kate Middleton follows in the footsteps of Diana’s extravagance or keeps her wedding day look simple and classic, those are details that will not only be a surprise to Prince William but to the rest of the world when the doors of Westminister Abbey swing open on April 29th. Included below are some of the sketches produced by designers around the world speculating what the most talked about wedding gown of the decade will look like.

Melissa Sweet (left) Priscilla of Boston (right)

Amsale (left) Angel Sanchez (right)

Rani Totman

Monique Lhuillier

Max Azria