Vera Wang, who was a CNN commentator for the ceremony, wrote in an E-mail message: "Diana's dress had a sense of innocence, whimsy, almost storybook romance."

The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress is certain to inspire a raft of imitations but in mainland Europe there have been claims that the gown was itself copied from another recent.

The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress is certain to inspire a raft of imitations but in mainland Europe there have been claims that the gown was itself copied from another recent royal wedding.