There’s No Such Thing as a Perfect Wedding—Even For Royals

Although royal weddings may look and seem perfect from afar, no one is a stranger to wedding day mishaps—and yes, that includes real-life kings, queens, princes, and princesses.

Some royal family members from the past and present were not exempt from wedding day snafus either. These mishaps truly run the gamut—ranging from crying guests and forgotten bouquets to wrinkly trains and stained gowns. (And, if that doesn’t make you feel better about wedding planning, we don’t know what will.) 

Keep reading for a full roundup of the most relatable royal wedding mishaps of all time.

Kate Middleton and Prince William Got Photobombed

Kate Middleton and Prince William had their fairytale-worthy wedding back in 2011. However, the grand occasion wasn't without a few problems, including an adorable photobomb. When the couple posed for photos on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the ceremony, they were photobombed by one of the Duchess’ bridesmaids, then-three-year-old Grace van Cutsem: Just a reminder that getting the perfect shot on your wedding day can be tricky, even if you’re royalty!

Princess Diana Spilled Perfume on Her Wedding Dress

There’s no crying over spilled milk (or, in this case, perfume): Unless, of course, you’re Princess Diana. On the morning of her 1981 nuptials to Prince Charles, Lady Di spilled perfume all over her wedding dress. Per Diana’s wedding makeup artist Barbara Daly, the princess was trying to spritz her favorite perfume, Quelques Fleurs, onto her wrist. However, it ended up spilling onto her now-iconic gown. In an effort to conceal the stain, Diana used her hand to cover it when walking into the cathedral. 

Harry’s Friend Made an LOL-worthy Speech

Following their traditional ceremony at St. George's Chapel, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle finally had the chance to let loose at their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House. The 200-person soirée was attended by friends, family members, and quite a few A-listers. (Sir Elton John performed, while Idris Elba tried his hand at DJing!). Other highlights included live music, signature cocktails, an extravagant fireworks display, and quite a few speeches, including one from Harry’s close friend, Charlie Van Straubenzee. Just like any typical wedding party speech, Van Straubenzee took the opportunity to keep it lighthearted by cracking some jokes at his famous friend’s expense (all in good fun, of course!) by mentioning the prince’s previous bachelor antics and thinning hair. 

Queen Elizabeth Had a Wardrobe Mishap 

Queen Elizabeth II’s "something borrowed"—a diamond tiara from her grandmother Queen Victoria — ended up snapping just hours before she walked down the aisle in 1947. Fortunately, the crisis was averted when the court jeweler sprung into action, because, let’s face it: every queen needs her crown—especially on their wedding day! However, if you look close enough in the wedding photos, you can spot the slight gap in the tiara. 

Denmark’s Princess Nathalie Forgot Her Bouquet

As any couple knows, no wedding day goes exactly as planned. This holds true for Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg of Denmark, too. The princess accidentally forgot to bring her bouquet to the church. Fortunately, the flowers were successfully retrieved in a matter of minutes—around 10, to be exact—and, from that point onward, the day’s event went as smoothly as could be. 

A Child Cried During Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Wedding Ceremony

If you’re inviting young children to your wedding, you should be prepared for impromptu tears and tantrums, which is precisely what happened during Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ceremony. Then-two-year-old Zalie Warren, one of the youngest members of Markle’s bridal party, had a minor meltdown while waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle. After a few minutes, Royal Nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo jumped in to help combat the crying and avoid disrupting the ceremony. Prince George was also rumored to have helped calm down the youngest. 

Marie Antoinette’s Wedding Dress Disaster 

Marie Antoinette had an eventful wedding day, and not necessarily in a good way. As the story goes, her wedding dress was made with the wrong measurements and was too tight. Even her bridal attendants struggle to lace up the back of the gown. The Duchess of Northumberland allegedly said: "The corps of her robe was too small and left quite a broad stripe of lacing and shift quite visible." Talk about a stressful—and, not to mention, physically uncomfortable—situation.

Kate Middleton’s Wedding Ring Didn’t Fit

If you rewatch Kate and William’s wedding ceremony, you’ll notice that William had trouble sliding the bride's wedding band onto her finger. That’s because Middleton reportedly had her ring resized leading up to the big day since she had lost weight. However, it seems that she didn’t check the new size before the ceremony, hence why it was too tight. 

Princess Diana’s Dress Got Wrinkled

With a 25-foot-long train and extra-poofy silhouette, Princess Diana’s wedding dress was over-the-top, to say the least. However, all of that extra fabric made it difficult for Lady Di to sit in the carriage as she made her way to the ceremony. The dress (train and all!) was subsequently pushed and shoved into the tight space, leading to a wrinkly gown and a creased train. Despite this, the stunning gown is still celebrated as one of the most famous in modern-day history (and for good reason: it’s absolutely gorgeous!).