Meghan Markle had eight fitting for her magnificent wedding dress, designer Clare Waight Keller has revealed. In a new interview with Paris Match, U.K. designer Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of Givenchy, also says that Meghan “is a strong woman who knows exactly what she wants,” and that the two first met back in January to plan the dress for the May 19 ceremony.

“We very quickly agreed on the perfect dress,” she says. “I wanted a modern and fresh silhouette while respecting her style.”

“You’re entering history at the same time as the Duchess of Sussex,” adds Waight Keller, 47. “It is an immense honor to have worked closely with Meghan and to have lived by her side all these special moments. Prince Harrycame to me and said, ‘Oh  my God. Thank you. She is absolutely magnificent.’ I am very proud. It’s a fairy tale. A dream come true.”

A key design point was her 16-ft. long veil. “We questioned ourselves at length,” she says. “A lace edge, is it more or less important or not? Then I proposed an embroidered flower for each of the 53 Commonwealth countries. In a way, they accompanied her to the altar. It was a moment of intense communion.”

“To keep the veil immaculate until the ceremony, the embroiderers washed their hands every 30 minutes,” she adds. “The silk crepe for the dress is double, which gives the silhouette its simplicity and its holding, while remaining supple.”

Original article: https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-had-8-wedding-dress-fittings-designer-reveals-in-new-interview/