The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding

Did you ever wonder who makes the gowns for England’s royal weddings? Jennifer Robson set out to write a novel about the years following the World War II. She discovered that during that period, everyone was most excited about the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, and Robson uses this event for the basis of her novel. Her two main characters, Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, are embroiders working for Norman Hartnell, the gown designer. I found this story fascinating; the main characters are based on an interview that Ms. Robson had with an woman who actually worked at Hartnell’s on the gown for Princess Elizabeth. As with all historical fiction, the sections of the story based on actual events leave the reader with a bird’s eye view into that time period. Definitely recommended for fans of the British royals.