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Meghan Markle's wedding dressmaker will be one of the first to know who the next king will be - and she thinks it should be Prince William

May 26, 2021, 02:53 IST
Insider
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's wedding dressmaker will be one of the first people to know who the next King of England is.The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge/Twitter
  • Chloe Savage helped make both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's iconic wedding gowns.
  • She'll be one the of the first to know when Prince Charles or Prince William becomes the next king.
  • Savage will help make the coronation robes, and Middleton would need one too if William is crowned.
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When it comes time to crown the next King of England, one of the first people to know will be the woman who helped make Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's wedding gowns.

Chloe Savage worked on the embroidery for both Middleton and Markle's iconic dresses. And one day she will help make the coronation robes for either Prince Charles or Prince William.

"When we change monarchs, we will know far in advance who's taking the throne because we'll have to make gowns and everything else in advance - and that's not a quick job," Savage told Insider.

Savage is part of the Royal School of Needlework (RSN), which has embroidered the coronation robes for the heir to the British throne since Edward VII was crowned in 1901 after Queen Victoria died.

Chloe Savage did the embroidery on both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's wedding dresses.Courtesy of Chloe Savage

But the RSN hasn't been called on to make coronation regalia in more than 60 years. When Queen Elizabeth took the throne in 1952, the country was still reeling from the end of World War II.

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"It would have been considered awful to have new robes made, because everyone was rationing and struggling," Savage explained. "It would have looked very wrong to Europe and the rest of the world, so she just had her father's robes shortened."

But the RSN will have to make completely new regalia when Prince Charles or Prince William eventually take the throne.

Prince Charles with Prince William and Prince Harry.WPA Pool / Pool

"It's not easy to lengthen anything, and now the robes are too delicate to be reused," Savage said.

And Savage told Insider that she'll know exactly who is named king because the RSN would also need to create a robe for Middleton.

"If it's Charles, it's just crowning him," she said. "But if it's William, it's him and Kate. Camilla can't be crowned because she's a divorcée."

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When Prince Charles and Camilla announced their engagement in 2005, Buckingham Palace said in a statement that Camilla will become known as "Princess consort" when Charles takes the throne.

But Middleton will become Queen Catherine when Prince William becomes king, royal historian Marlene Koenig previously told Insider. And she will be crowned alongside him.

Kate Middleton and Prince William photographed by celebrity photographer Chris Floyd.Chris Floyd/Camera Press via Getty Images

"She'd need coronation robes, a coronation gown, she'd need the sashes, there's a whole load of stuff," Savage said.

A robe would also have to be made for Prince George, who will become the new Prince of Wales when his father takes the throne.

"The garments we'd be asked to make would clearly be of a different size, so we'd have a pretty good inkling of what's going on," Savage said.

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While Prince Charles is next in line for the throne, Savage believes it would make more sense to have Prince William become the next King of England instead.

Prince William with Queen Elizabeth.WPA Pool / Getty Images

"It might be quicker and simpler to give Kate and William a long run at the job, rather than have two very quick successions," she said. "We thought Charles would take it because it'd give William and Kate time to have a family and settle down, but I think they're there. Maybe it's better to pass it straight on. They're younger and more in touch with the people."

But royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Insider that there's "no chance" the throne would pass to Prince William before his father.

"It isn't the way monarchy operates, and the fact that this idea is often popular in opinion polls is irrelevant," he said. "Prince Charles' life has been preparation to be king and this is his eventual destiny. He would never give it up."

And Koening told Insider that the Queen has already indicated that she fully expects Charles to succeed her by making Camilla a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, which is a formal body of advisers to the head of state.

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"It's an unusual act to include the spouse," Koening said. "But it is understood that the Queen wanted to make sure Camilla was present at the Accession Council, where Charles will be proclaimed king."

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