Finding the perfect wedding gown is on top of every bride’s priorities when planning their wedding.
Even more than the cake, it is the one thing that really makes that special day into the perfect day (well, other than love and the perfect groom).
Everything has to come together from the cut of the dress, the fabric used, and even the length of the veil. Us mere commoners can take comfort in the fact that even royalty shares this similarity with us as evident in Princess Eugenie’s journey in finding her wedding dress.
However, she had a slightly different criteria when she chose the Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos low back and long-sleeved dress for her big day. She wasn’t seeking to hide what often consider to be flaws, but she chose to highlight one in particular instead.
Changing how we see beauty
If you’ve been keeping yourself updated on royal affairs over the years, then you might remember the time when the Queen’s favorite granddaughter had to have surgery on her spine at the young age of 12.
The scoliosis operation left a long and noticeable scar on her back.
But instead of trying to hide it, especially on her wedding day, the now 28-year-old princess decided to flaunt it by choosing a low back gown in order to inspire other people who are suffering from the same condition.
She expressed this desire ahead of the big day saying:
“I had an operation when I was 12 on my back, and you’ll see on Friday [at the wedding], but it’s a lovely way to honor the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this”.
Furthermore, Princess Eugenie wants to help change ‘the way beauty is.’
In an interview with ITV she discussed her perspective on the topic:
“I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it’s really special to stand up for that.”
Scoliosis and young girls
Scoliosis is a medical condition which causes a person’s spine to curve to the side in an S or C shape.
Severe cases of scoliosis may lead to various complications such as a decrease in the space in the chest and limitations of the lungs’ functioning.
The cause of this deformity is not known yet, but we do know that it usually manifests in children at ages 10 to 15. Princess Eugenie remembers the corrective surgery she had to go through when she was just 12.
In her story published on the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital website, she spoke about it:
“During my operation, which took eight hours, my surgeons inserted eight-inch titanium rods into each side of my spine and one-and-a-half inch screws at the top of my neck. After three days in intensive care, I spent a week on a ward and six days in a wheelchair, but I was walking again after that.”
She further described the experience as:
“A scary prospect for a 12-year-old; I can still vividly remember how nervous I felt.”
According to Dr. Jan Lehovsky, one of the surgeons who operated on the princess, stated that scoliosis mostly affects young girls and added how Princess Eugenie served as a role model for them.
“Most of the patients affected by scoliosis are young girls and she’s a real role model for them. She’s someone who can inspire them, which is so important for the young ladies coming through the surgery.”
We think she’s a pretty awesome role model too.
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