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Royal weddings are usually a very public affair (1.9billion people watched Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tie the knot on TV in 2018, although Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi made history when they married in private on 17 July) but, either way, it turns out there's a lot going on behind-the-scenes that we aren't aware of. Here's everything you didn't know about these special wedding days...
SEE: 12 hilarious royal wedding moments caught on camera
1. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were the first royals to marry in secret in over 200 years
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WATCH: Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi marry in secret
They kept all details private until after the ceremony.
2. Princess Beatrice's wedding outfit paid homage to her full name
She wore one of Queen Elizabeth's vintage Norman Hartnell dresses and accessorised with Queen Mary's diamond fringe tiara, forming her complete name: Beatrice Elizabeth Mary.
MORE: 7 most expensive royal wedding dresses in order of price
3. Princess Beatrice broke tradition with her wedding band
Almost all royal brides over the last century wore gold wedding bands, while Beatrice opted for a silver design.
4. Queen Victoria set the white wedding dress trend
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Queen Victoria married her cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840
When Queen Victoria married her cousin Albert in 1840, she wore a white satin design and inspired millions of others to do the same.
5. Princess Diana said the wrong name during her vows
Wedding day nerves got the better of Diana when she mistakenly said Philip and Charles in the wrong order and vowed to love 'Philip Charles Arthur George'.
RELATED: 3 videos from Princess Diana and Prince Charles' wedding that never saw the light of day
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Then Princess Elizabeth paid for her wedding dress with ration coupons
6. Queen Elizabeth used ration coupons to buy her dress
The then-Princess Elizabeth used clothing ration coupons to buy her wedding dress fabric from Norman Hartnell to wear on her big day with the Duke of Edinburgh. She was granted an extra 200 coupons from the government.
7. Every royal wedding serves fruitcake
Every British royal wedding since Queen Victoria's 1840 ceremony has served fruitcake. Why? It's a symbol of wealth and prosperity, while the variety of ingredients is said to represent the vastness of the British empire.
REVEALED: 9 fascinating rules royal brides must follow
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Princess Diana married the Prince of Wales in 1981
8. Princess Diana spilled perfume on her gown
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Instead of spraying it on her wrists, Diana reportedly spilled perfume all over gown en route to the ceremony. Apparently, her make-up artist showed her how to hold the dress to cover up the stain.
SEE: 19 memorable royal weddings from the past decade
9. Every royal bride has a sprig of myrtle in their bouquet
Queen Victoria carried myrtle - the herb of love - in her wedding bouquet and went on to plant a shrub in her garden at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight afterwards. Every royal bride since has carried a sprig from her shrub in their wedding bouquet.
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Princess Diana's wedding shoes paid tribute to her husband-to-be with his initial on the sole
10. Princess Diana's wedding shoes had a hidden message
Besides being covered in 542 sequins and 132 pearls, Diana's heels had the initials C and D for Charles and Diana, painted on the soles of her wedding shoes.
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The Duchess of Cambridge did her own wedding make-up
11. The Duchess of Cambridge did her own make up
Kate had lessons from make-up artist Arabella Preston but opted to do it herself on the big day.
SEE: Royal bridal beauty secrets revealed
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Princess Diana had the longest wedding dress train of all royal brides
12. Princess Diana had the longest train in royal history
It was 25 feet long.
13. Queen Elizabeth's tiara snapped on her wedding day
The court jeweler was rushed by police escort to repair it before the bride left for Westminster Abbey.
14. They receive thousands of gifts
Elizabeth and Philip received 2,500 wedding presents and 10,000 congratulatory telegrams.
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The Duchess of Cambridge now wears Princess Diana's former engagement ring
15. Diana's engagement ring was not custom-made
The iconic £28,000 sapphire and diamond design was not custom-made; Diana picked it out of a Garrarrd's catalogue. The ring is now worn by her daughter-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge.
REVEALED: Kate Middleton wasn't supposed to have Princess Diana's engagement ring
16. They cater to potential wardrobe malfunctions too
William and Harry wore built-in sweat guards during William and Kate's wedding, so that they didn't sweat under the bright television lights in the cathedral.
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17. Queen Elizabeth's royal wedding cake was 3ft taller than Prince Philip
As wedding cakes go, theirs was a rather impressive creation and it stood at a whopping height of 9ft tall!
18. Not everyone follows tradition
William doesn't wear a wedding ring, but his father does.
19. The family doesn't always exchange traditional wedding gifts
Kate Middleton's brother, James Middleton, gave his sister and brother-in-law their cocker spaniel, Lupo, as a wedding present.
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Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in 2018
20. Meghan Markle was the oldest royal bride
She was 36 on her big day.
21. Queen Elizabeth's wedding ring has a very secret message
In the book Prince Philip Revealed, author Ingrid Seward divulges that Prince Philip had a secret message inscribed inside the Queen's wedding band, a message that only three people have ever seen.
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