A gold 1920s wedding dress for the bride who wanted to shine

For a glittering twist on 1920s wedding dress inspiration, look no further than the Hon. Ursula Mary Lawley's gold wedding ensemble. Ursula’s bold choice of a gold lamé damask gown, paired with a tiara and gold shoes, stole the show at her 1927 Westminster wedding – attended by none other than George V and Queen Mary. 

This spectacular 1920s wedding ensemble, now preserved in the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Hampton Court Palace, will dazzle the public again in Dress Codes.

Here, conservator Anne-Marie Britton explores the history of this remarkable ensemble, and shares how her and fellow conservator Charlotte Gamper are preparing for its next moment in the spotlight.

The designer

As Ursula prepared to take centre stage on her wedding day, she selected London fashion designer Elizabeth Handley-Seymour to make her wedding outfit. Elizabeth was a court dressmaker, best known for creating Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon’s wedding dress for her marriage to the future George VI in 1923, and then her coronation dress in 1937 when she was crowned as Queen Consort.

The dress

As Handley-Seymour’s client, Ursula would have expected to be offered the most stylish and up to date design. The 1920s fashion often featured metallic fabrics, lace, and light gold shades, adding glamour to bridal attire. 

While some brides wore shorter dresses, Ursula opted for an ankle-length gown which reflected the persistent taste for medieval style. The dress has a straight cut, a dropped hip waistline, a medieval box cut square neckline, and long sleeves. 

The use of gold fabric represented wealth, happiness and wisdom. The damask gold lamé is surprisingly lightweight and provides a lovely drape and luxurious appearance. This is amplified by the golden sheen produced by metallic yarns that are woven into the fabric, making this an eye-catching gown.

The conservation process

Even before conservation work started, the wedding outfit was in good condition. There were some signs of wear, including green tarnishing on the metal threads and perspiration staining. The orange blossom tiara was misshaped from poor storage, and the wax flowers were dirty and cracked.

To remove harmful degradation products and visually reduce the perspiration stains, we use a thick gel made from agar to clean fragile textiles in a slow, controlled way. By introducing a chelating agent (designed to remove rust) we could gently remove the corrosion stains. The gel was shaped to fit the stain and applied to the affected area; the gel acts like a sponge, sucking up the stain and lifting the green soiling. 

To reshape the tiara, we examined historical photos of Ursula on her wedding day, which provided a guide for restoring the original shape. The metal wire was gently bent back into position. We cleaned the wax flowers using saliva applied with a fine brush or cotton swab, and then rinsed with deionized water. Using saliva for this process might seem strange, but it’s actually a really good natural cleaning agent for wax, as it contains a Lipase enzyme. 

Finally, to reinforce the cracked wax petals, a small amount of adhesive was applied precisely to the damaged areas, holding the petals in place until the adhesive dried. This conservation made the petals more stable and less likely to be disturbed during handling. The overall appearance of the headdress improved significantly through this conservation treatment.

A bespoke mount using conservation-grade materials was created so that the wedding outfit could go on display at Kensington Palace. Visit Dress Codes in 2025 to discover how one bride's bold choice went against tradition, and explore the fascinating stories behind other remarkable garments that defined – and defied – their times.

Anne-Marie Britton
Textile Conservator, Historic Royal Palaces