James Middleton has finally wed long-time partner Alizée Thevenet, making him the third and final Middleton sibling to tie the knot.
Sister Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wed Prince William in a royal ceremony in 2011, while their other sister Pippa Matthews (née Middleton) said “I do” in 2017.
Now that all three of the Middletons are married, we can’t help but reflect on the unique choices each of the siblings made on their big days.
From Catherine’s televised royal affair, to Pippa’s relaxed Englsih country wedding, and James’ romantic French nuptials, each have shown their personalities through their weddings.
We’re diving into the details from each marriage to explore the differences – and many similarities – between each of the Middleton weddings.
Duchess Catherine’s royal nuptials were called the wedding of the century in 2011.
(Image: Getty)The rings
Catherine definitely has the most iconic engagement ring, as William proposed to her with his late mother Princess Diana’s ring.
Featuring a 12-carat oval sapphire at the centre, surrounded by 14 smaller diamonds, the Princess of Wales originally picked the ring out of a catalogue in 1981.
It was a surprising choice for a royal at the time, but Diana’s ring quickly became a historic piece of royal jewellery.
After her death it was passed down to her sons, with William taking it to propose to Catherine during a holiday in Kenya in 2010.
The Duchess of Cambridge’s engagament ring originally belonged to Princess Diana.
(Image: Getty)Estimated to be worth more than $684,000, Catherine’s ring is undoubtedly the most expensive too.
Sister Pippa’s ring certainly wasn’t cheap though, husband James Matthews proposing with a diamond ring worth around $470,000 in 2016.
He popped the question while the couple were on a walk in England’s Lake District, presenting Pippa with a ring featuring an Asscher cut diamond.
With a vintage aesthetic, the ring’s centre stone is thought to be around three carats and is surrounded by smaller stones in an octagonal halo.
Pippa’s ring is believed to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
(Image: Getty)New sister-in-law Alizée also wears a unique engagement ring, which Catherine and Pippa’s brother James proposed with in 2019.
Alizée’s ring actually features a large sapphire just like Catherine’s.
But hers is in an emerald cut and is flanked by baguette diamonds in the Art Deco style, unlike Catherine’s oval style.
It’s unclear how much the ring is worth, however estimates have been given up to the hundreds of thousands.
Alizée’s ring is designed in the Art Deco style.
(Image: Getty)The dresses
The Duchess of Cambridge left royal watchers breathless when she stepped out on her wedding day in 2011 wearing a gown created by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.
Featuring a structured bodice, a-line skirt and elegant lace sleeves, the dress has remained one of the most iconic royal wedding gowns in recent history.
“Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen’s work,” the palace revealed of the duchess’ dress choice.
The gown also featured a nine-foot-long train, which Pippa helped carry down the aisle, and was covered in handmade lace work.
Catherine then changed into a second dress by the same designer for her reception, which was a strapless sating style complete with sparkling details around the waist.
Catherine’s lace gown was created by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.
(Image: Getty)As a royal bride, Catherine’s wedding looks were chosen with her new status as a duchess in mind, but Pippa took some inspiration from her elder sister on her own wedding day.
Pippa Middleton became Pippa Matthews in 2017 and chose an elegant Giles Deacon lace gown for her big day.
The dress bore a striking resemblance to Catherine’s wedding gown, though Pippa’s featured short sleeves and a high neckline unlike her sister’s.
David Emanuel, who designed Princess Diana’s wedding dress, told Hello Magazine of Pippa’s gown: “Because it’s an English country wedding, she went for soft and pretty.”
She completed her wedding day look with a delicate pearl-embellished tulle veil designed by legendary milliner Stephen Jones.
There’s no denying the similarities between Pippa and Catherine’s dresses.
(Image: Getty)Alizée opted for a much more understated wedding dress, but it carried a very special meaning for her and her new sisters-in-law.
James’ bride chose to wear his mother Carole Middleton’s wedding dress on their big day in 2021.
“My something borrowed was in fact my dress from my mother in law Carole who last wore it 41 years ago on her wedding day in June, 1980,” Alizée told Hello.
The frock featured delicate lace details and a chic off-the-shoulder style that fit perfectly with the couple’s French nuptials.
The newlywed revealed that she tried on the gown during lockdown and discovered the dress was exactly what she wanted.
“It always troubled me that wedding dresses are only worn once so it was amazing to give such a beautiful dress a second lease of life,” she added.
The ceremonies
Catherine’s wedding to Prince William was called the “wedding of the century” and was one of the biggest royal weddings of all time.
The ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011, and no expense was spared for their special day.
Estimated to have cost the royal family $48.6 million, the ceremony was a regal affair from start to finish and was fully televised.
Tens of millions of dollars were spent on security, with the rest of the budget going towards flowers, decorations and, of course, Catherine’s dress.
Guests included fellow royals from the UK and across Europe, as well as celebrities like David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John and Ian Thorpe.
Pippa’s wedding ceremony was much smaller by comparison and was hosted at St Mark’s church in Englefield, Berkshire on May 20, 2017.
The ‘English country style’ wedding was private and intimate, with a reception held after the ceremony at the Middleton family home in Berkshire.
Duchess Catherine was invited, along with fellow royals Prince William, Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie.
Young Prince George and Princess Charlotte were also in attendance and played a special role on their aunt’s big day as a page boy and bridesmaid respectively.
Pippa included Prince George and Princess Charlotte in her wedding ceremony.
(Getty)As for James Middleton’s wedding, few details have been shared from their romantic September 11, 2021 nuptials at the French village of Bormes-les-Mimosas.
James told Hello of the ceremony: “There are three important things for a good party: good music, good food and wine, and wonderful people.
“We were lucky enough to have all three.”
It’s believed that his wedding was more low-key than those of his sisters, who both attended the French nuptials with their families.
James and Alizée had two of their pet dogs serve as flower girls, with a reception hosted after the town hall ceremony at a beachside restaurant.
James and Alizée opted for a more relaxed ceremony hosted in France.
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