Kate Middleton & the Queen Tour Royal Wedding Dress Exhibit

The gown! The shoes! The cake! The Duchess of Cambridge relives her big day through a new Buckingham Palace display

01 of 09

BONDING WITH THE IN-LAWS

THE IN-LAW CONNECTION
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Kate Middleton accompanies her husband's grandmother, the Queen of England, on a tour of the new Royal Wedding Dress exhibit at Buckingham Palace, which displays details from the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding day. The women are already so close that the Queen loaned Kate some jewels for her stylish North American tour.

02 of 09

ROYAL AUDIENCE

ROYAL AUDIENCE
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Kate, in a simple ivory wrap dress and pumps, and the Queen, wearing a summer-ready floral frock, view the Duchess's Alexander McQueen wedding gown, which designer Sarah Burton said has a lot of Kate's personality. More than 650,000 people are expected to visit the exhibition, which runs from July 23 to October 3.

03 of 09

EGGS-CITING!

EGGS-CITING!
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The Royal Wedding Dress exhibit is part of Buckingham Palace's upcoming Royal Fabergé exhibit, which includes over 100 masterpieces owned by the royal family.

04 of 09

PIECE OF CAKE

PIECE OF CAKE
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The eight-tier royal wedding cake, accented with more than 900 leaf and floral patterns, was designed in part to reflect its new home in Buckingham Palace – the garland around the middle tier echoes the one in the palace's Picture Gallery. The original was a fruitcake created by Fiona Cairns, with a smaller one baked by McVitie's Cake Company, based on a favorite recipe of Prince William's.

05 of 09

THE WHITE STUFF

THE WHITE STUFF
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After months of speculation, the new Duchess of Cambridge did not disappoint when she stepped out of her car April 29 to reveal Sarah Burton's intricate Alexander McQueen creation. The dress was composed of silk gazar and hand-tatted lace comprised of shapes that represented the countries in the United Kingdom. Topping it all was a tiara lent to her by the Queen plus a coordinating veil.

06 of 09

ELEGANT EARRINGS

ELEGANT EARRINGS
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Kate's diamond Robinson Pelham earrings were her "something new" – a gift from her parents – and featured a leaf stud and acorn drop designed to reflect her family's new coat of arms.

07 of 09

CROWNING GLORY

CROWNING GLORY
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For her "something borrowed," the Duchess of Cambridge was loaned a 1936 Cartier halo-style tiara passed down to Queen Elizabeth II on her 18th birthday from her mother. Should Kate need a tiara in the future, there are many other gorgeous choices in the Buckingham Palace archives.

08 of 09

SOMETHING SHOE

SOMETHING SHOE
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Also on display at Buckingham Palace are Kate's satin-and-lace Alexander McQueen pumps, which were hidden beneath the long train of her gown. Some other things that fans will spot in the exhibit: the Rolls-Royce Phantom VI and 1902 State Landau coach that carried Kate to and from Westminster Abbey.

09 of 09

TRAIN GANG

TRAIN GANG
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The train of the Alexander McQueen gown stretched nearly 9 feet for her memorable walk down the aisle at Westminster Abbey. Though certainly dramatic, it paled in comparison to her late mother-in-law's, which extended a full 25 feet.

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