The 10 most interesting royal weddings from around the world

The wedding of Prince Rainier III of Monaco, to Grace, Princess of Monaco, formerly Grace Kelly

One of the most famous royal marriages in history took place when Prince Rainer III of Monaco wed film star Grace Kelly in 1956. Having starred in the iconic Alfred Hitchcock films Rear Window and Dial M for Murder, Kelly was already a member of Hollywood royalty before marrying the European prince, who she met for the first time at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. While the marriage meant the end of Kelly’s film career, Hitchcock reportedly said that he was ‘very happy that Grace has found herself such a good part’. The couple remained together until Kelly’s 1982 death in a car crash at the age of just 52.

The wedding of King Harald V of Norway to Queen Sonja of Norway, formerly Sonja Haraldsen

The wedding of Norway’s reigning king and queen was not a simple one. The pair had dated for nine years before becoming engaged. During that time they faced heavy criticism from many in Norway, including Harald’s father, King Olav, as Sonja Haraldsen was a commoner. According to many, the then crown prince had to tell his father that he would remain unmarried, causing the monarchy a succession crisis, if he could not marry the woman he loved, before the king would accept their relationship. The pair were married in 1968 and became king and queen in 1991.

The wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Druk Gyalpo of the Kingdom of Bhutan, to Jetsun Pema, Druk Gyaltsuen of the Kingdom of Bhutan

When the Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) of Bhutan announced his engagement to pilot’s daughter Jetsun Pema, a series of festivities began across the small Himalayan country. The wedding itself was a three-day celebration, with thousands of the nation’s citizens descending from the mountains surrounding the ancient capital of Punakha to celebrate the couple’s nuptials. The royal wedding has ushered in a newly open attitude for the once austere and reserved royal household – the couple often hold hands publicly and talk about their love for one another.

The wedding of King Felipe VI of Spain to Queen Letizia of Spain, formerly Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano

This wedding of the Spanish king and queen came as a surprise to many, as the pair had kept their relationship very private before announcing their fairly brief engagement. Felipe, crown prince at the time, had been introduced to divorcee Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, then a well-known journalist and television news presenter, by a mutual friend. In 2003 they announced their engagement and were married six months later. After a decade together, Felipe ascended the Spanish throne after his father’s abdication, making the couple the king and queen of Spain.

The wedding of Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah of Brunei to Sarah, Crown Princess of Brunei, formerly Dayangku Sarah binti Pengiran Salleh

One of the most lavish royal events in history, the wedding of the crown prince of the tiny Sultanate of Brunei to Princess Sarah saw the bride walk into the Istana Nurul Iman palace throne room wearing crystal-studded shoes and a gemstone-encrusted headscarf, holding a bouquet not of flowers but of gold and diamonds. After the ceremony, the couple were driven around the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan in an open-topped gold Rolls-Royce, as cheering crowds lined the streets.

The wedding of Edward, Duke of Windsor, to Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, formerly Wallis Simpson

One of the world’s most infamous royal weddings was that of Edward, Duke of Windsor, to American socialite Wallis Simpson. It was a relationship that caused a king’s abdication. Edward renounced the British throne in order to marry divorcee Simpson, who was still married to her second husband at the time. Edward’s abdication came less than a year after he was crowned, making his reign one of the shortest in British history. The pair married the following year, once Simpson’s second divorce was granted. None of Edward’s family were in attendance.

The wedding of Yoshiki Kuroda to Sayako Kuroda, formerly Sayako, Princess Nori of Japan

In 2004, the Japanese government announced the engagement of Sayako, Princess Nori to Yoshiki Kuroda, a longtime friend of her brother, Prince Akihito. As Kuroda is a non-aristocratic ‘commoner’, under Japan’s Imperial Household Law, the princess had to relinquish her membership of the imperial family, her government allowance and her title to marry the man she loved. To prepare for her change in status, she reportedly began learning how to undertake everyday tasks, such as driving a car and shopping in a supermarket. The couple were married on 15 November 2005, when Sakayo, Princess Nori became simply Mrs Sayako Kuroda.

The wedding of Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, to Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, formerly Stéphanie de Lannoy

Despite dating for several years, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and his Belgian wife managed to keep their relationship very discreet before their engagement in 2012. The wedding itself consisted of two parts, the first being a civil ceremony at Luxembourg city hall, the first royal civil ceremony not to be held at the palace. The gala dinner that followed was attended by royals and parliamentary officials at the palace. The main event, however, was the following day – the couple’s elaborate televised state wedding took place in Luxembourg’s Notre-Dame cathedral, with the bride wearing a stunning Elie Saab gown.

The wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland, to Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland, formerly Sofia Hellqvist

The relationship between Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, the eldest son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and former glamour model and reality television star Sofia Hellqvist was announced in 2010. The prince was second in line to the Swedish throne at the time, and the news divided opinions among Swedish citizens, though in time, Hellqvist won the hearts of the Swedish people. The pair were engaged in 2014 and married the following year, with the wedding broadcast live to millions.

The wedding of Pierre Casiraghi to Beatrice Borromeo

This aristocratic European couple’s wedding was one of the most glamorous in recent years. Pierre Casiraghi, the youngest son of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, married writer and journalist Beatrice Borromeo, a member of the aristocratic Borromeo family, in a civil ceremony that took place in Monte Carlo. A second, more lavish religious ceremony was held on the Borromean Islands, on Lake Maggiore in Italy, which are owned by the Borromeo family, before an evening reception at Rocca d’Angera, a nearby castle overlooking the lake. The lavish celebration also had a charitable element – the couple asked guests to make donations to the Casiraghi family’s AMADE children’s charitable foundation in lieu of wedding gifts.