Why Princess Eugenie Did Not Wear A Veil

HRH Princess Eugenie of York

The Queen's granddaughter, Princess Eugenie of York, married her boyfriend of eight years, Jack Brooksbank, in a glittery ceremony at St. George's Chapel near Windsor Castle attended by most royal family members and celebrities closer to the couple.

Eugenie, whose real name is Eugenie Victoria Helena and named after Queen Victoria's daughters,  Queen Eugenia, the grandmother of King Juan Carlos of Spain, and Princess Helena, is currently 9th in the line of succession to the British throne. She is the youngest child of the Queen's second son, HRH Prince Andrew of York, and his estranged wife, Sarah, Duchess of York. She has an older sister, Princess Beatrice. 

The 28-year-old princess, who completed an Art history degree from the Newcastle University, has been active ly supporting charities for children and has patronage at Royal National Orthopedic Hospital in London. 

New Age Wedding for a British Princess

Princess Eugenie is the first British princess of the blood royal to marry in 45 years since her aunt, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal. So, all eyes were on her when she stepped down from the vintage Rolls Royce bridal car with her father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.

She looked very radiant in her elegant ivory satin wedding dress designed by her favorite fashion designers, Peter Pilotto and Christoper De Vos. The ball gown-inspired bridal dress itself is washed off glamorously with intricate details of delicate handmade floral print and historical elements attributed to the princess's family. 

with her father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York

The overflowing gown features a low-cut bodice that folded around the shoulders down to the back, draping into a full length train. To keep up with the royal tradition for royal brides, the dress has full long sleeves that almost covered the princess's hands.

Eugenie also wore a tiara lent to her by her grandmother, the Queen. The Greville Emerald Kokoshnik tiara surrounded with several diamonds is part of the crown jewel collections and previously belonged to the Queen Mother. Eugenie also wore a piece of diamond and emerald earrings - a wedding gift from the groom.

He bridal bouquet is not far from the previous bouquets of all royal brides, a bun consists of lily of the valley, baby blue thistles, white spray roses, sprigs of myrtle and trailing ivy.

From everyone's perspective, the York princess looked so perfect in her wedding get-up, dazzles in diamonds and glamour that royalty personify. However, there's one wedding traditional piece that conspicuously missing in her attire. A bridal veil.

Where's the princess's bridal veil?

This might have been the common question of everyone who had seen the ceremony in Windsor. One thought the princess or her designers deliberately forgotten to put on this very traditional wedding piece. And was just left somewhere. In the hotel. Or in the car perhaps. But nope! The princess herself chose not to wear the veil! So why?

Until recently, we rarely heard a bride ditched out wearing a bridal veil. Much more if she is a princess. It's part of Christian, even non-Christian, wedding tradition and every bride, royal or commoner, always walked-down-the aisle, with face hidden beneath the veil.

So why the Queen's granddaughter opted not to wear this traditional wedding peice?

The reason is very sentimental, something that defines of who she is today. When the princess was 12 years old, she undergone a life-threatening surgery to correct her scoliosis, a medical condition where spine curved sideways. This surgery left a revealing vertical scar at her back that runs down from her neck to her low back.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Brooksbank

Princess Eugenie has been vocal with this scar as a statement of her survival from living a hampered life. She considered it as a life-changing scar that definitely impacted her growing up years. She treated it as a strong statement of recovery, of survival, of courage, of hope, and something that should not be kept hidden behind her dress on one of the most important days of her life.

So she instructed her bridal dress designers to create a grown that has a low-cut back to show her scar. She wanted to give a message of hope and encouragement to everyone who suffered the same medical condition as her. Not to give up.

Such a strong statement of courage, isn't it? 

Wedding as a venue of empowerment message and personal details.

Yes, a wedding is always a venue of empowerment among women, who we are and what message we wanted to tell to the world. As weddings bring women to another chapter of their lives, it's a perfect venue to give message to the world who we are, what we are up to, what lessons and influence we wanted to impart. It's always memorable to leave an impact to the lives of the people on one of the most important occasions in our lives. Oh, I can't wait to be married. I'm thinking now, what message I'll try to give to the world as I turn another chapter of my life. 😂

Couple's personal choice how their wedding should run is also very important. Every element of the wedding should reflect the personality and preferences of the bride and groom and not according to public perception and friends' expectation.

The Momentous Family Picture-taking

Royal family has this long-cherished tradition of taking family pictures with both sets of family. And since Queen Elizabeth II is the reigning sovereign of the British Commonwealth, she and her husband, HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, are traditionally required to take part in the photo taking.

Official wedding portrait

The British royals always take their position in the state drawing room at Buckingham Palace during wedding family pictures. This has been the venue of the wedding family pictures of all children of the Queen including grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

So when it's Eugenie's takes turn to walk down the aisle, this grand room once again the venue of taking sweet mementos. However, this occasion is quite different.

Ever since her divorce to Prince Andrew in 1996, Sarah, Duchess of York, hasn't been seen sharing a place with Andrew's father, Prince Philip. It was noted that during the troubled marriages of Charles and Andrew, the Duke of Edinburgh was the most vocal in expressing his disgust towards the breakdown of his children's marriages.

And the lapses of the Duchess of York, who was behaving inappropriately towards the end of her marriage to Andrew, were not forgiven by Prince Philip. He made it clear, Sarah or Fergie to some, would never get near the royal family again, for embarrassing the monarchy.

Although, the Duke and Duchess of York maintained a warm relationship after divorce and had seen taking vacations with their children (they didn't remarry also), Sarah hasn't seen joining the royal family since the divorce.

Eugenie's wedding is the first public occasion of the royal family that saw the Duchess of York standing next to Prince Philip in a family photo. Which is a bit surreal and memorable.

Take note also that Sarah didn't lose her title, Duchess of York, after her divorce to Prince Andrew because she didn't remarry.

With this, let's wish Princess Eugenie and her husband a happy and blissful family life. Best wishes and congratulations!