'A gift I will cherish forever': The royal brides who wore Valentino on their wedding day

Princess Madeleine has described Valentino Garavani as "incomparable", with an "extraordinary attention to detail", as she recalled him designing her wedding gown 13 years ago.

The Italian couturier, who died earlier this week aged 93, created the Swedish royal's bridal gown, which remains one of the most iconic in fashion history.

Princess Madeleine, of course, was not the only royal bride who chose Valentino for her special day.

Valentino also designed wedding gowns for Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and Beatrice Borromeo of Monaco along with countless other memorable gowns for high-profile women through the decades.

Diana, Princess of Wales, and Queen Mary of Denmark were among Valentino's clients.

Princess Madeleine, 2013

Sharing a sketch of the gown from her wedding, Princess Madeleine paid tribute to Valentino "with deep sadness, and a heart full of gratitude".

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She said of their time working together: "His extraordinary attention to detail, his timeless elegance, and his unmistakable sense of humour made every moment in his presence unforgettable".

"He was never afraid to speak his true thoughts, always with honesty, warmth, and wit.

"He created my bridal gown with such care, artistry, and joy – a gift I will cherish forever."

Princess Madeleine – the youngest child of of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia – married British-born banker Christopher O'Neill on June 8, 2013 in Stockholm.

The gown's silk organza skirt was pleated by hand, with appliquéd ivory Chantilly lace.

Chantilly lace is an exclusive bobbin lace with outlined rows applied to silk tulle.

The dress's waistline was pleated and the skirt opened into narrow vertical folds ending in a four-metre long train.

The upper section of the dress was covered with lace, leaving the shoulders bare and a deep-cut back.

Princess Madeleine wore the Modern Fringe tiara, a gift from her parents, decorated with orange blossoms which also featured on her veil.

Valentino later said working with the princess was "just so easy".

"She is a very lovely girl. She is modern, full of energy and enthusiasm, and she is so beautiful. It has been a pleasure and an honour."

Queen Maxima, the Netherlands, 2002

Argentinian-born finance expert Maxima Zorreguieta became Crown Princess of the Netherlands when she married heir to the Dutch throne, Willem-Alexander, on February 2, 2002.

The couple had two ceremonies: the first was a civil wedding at Beurs van Berlage officiated by the Mayor of Amsterdam.

That was followed by the religious service at the Nieuwe Kerk (The New Church) before they made their first appearance as husband and wife on the balcony of the Royal Palace.

The bride wore an ivory Mikado silk-satin gown by Valentino with a cowl neckline and mid-length sleeves. The fitted bodice flowed into a fuller, silk-panelled skirt.

Maxima's five-metre train was made of hand-embroidered silk tulle, also a Valentino creation. The ensemble is rumoured to have cost more than $170k.

The bride wore the Dutch star tiara for the event, which comprised the base of another design in the royal collection, the Pearl Button Tiara, with its pearl brooches removed.

In their place were five 10-pointed diamond stars that once belonged to Queen Emma.

In 2013, she and Prince Willem-Alexander acceded to the Dutch throne, becoming King and Queen.

Crown Princess Marie-Chantal, Greece, 1995

Arguably one of Valentino's most iconic royal wedding gowns was the one he created for Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece.

In a tribute shared on Instagram, Marie-Chantal said she was "heartbroken" by Valentino's death.

"I met him a few years before I was married and instantly knew he would be the one to create my wedding dress, there was never a doubt," she said.

"Over the years, we became close friends, and he witnessed so many chapters of my life: my marriage, my children, and the passage of time.

"Valentino was extraordinary not only for his genius and elegance, but for his immense heart. I will always remember him with profound affection and admiration."

The American society figure married the heir to Greece's defunct throne, Crown Prince Pavlos, in 1995.

They ceremony was held inside St. Sophia's Cathedral in London in front of 2,000 guests, including Queen Elizabeth II.

Crown Princess Marie-Chantal's ivory silk gown cost more than $370k and and reportedly took 25 seamstresses four months to make.

The pearl-encrusted gown featured a four-metre Chantilly lace train, floral appliques across the top and bottom, a high-neck and long-sleeves.

The gown was worn at both the ceremony and reception, which took place at Hampton Court Palace.

The wedding was reportedly the largest gathering of royalty from across Europe since the Queen and Prince Philip's own in 1947.

On the bride's head was the antique corsage tiara, borrowed from Crown Prince Pavlos' Danish side of the family.

His mother is Queen Anne-Marie, a sister of Denmark's Queen Margrethe II, who was married Greece's last king, Constantine II.

Beatrice Borromeo, Monaco, 2015

On the day Valentino's death was announced, Beatrice Borromeo shared a photo of her alongside the fellow Italian when they attended the Venice Film Festival together in 2006.

She and Valentino had a close working relationship during Beatrice's years as a model and in 2015, she tasked him with creating two of her five wedding outfits.

Beatrice married Pierre Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline, on July 25, 2015, in a civil ceremony in the gardens of the Prince's Palace of Monaco.

The bride wore five couture dresses throughout her wedding celebrations, which took place in Monte Carlo and a week later in Italy.

For her civil ceremony in Monaco, Beatrice chose two Valentino gowns.

The first was a pale pink and gold lace silk chiffon by Valentino's creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli.

For the evening reception, Beatrice wore a white Valentino gown featuring silver cloud embellishments.

Both gowns were inspired by the brand's spring/summer 2015 couture collection.

Beatrice's three sisters also wore Valentino for their weddings and her uncle, Count Matteo Marzotto, was the former president and director of the fashion house.

A week later, a lavish religious ceremony was held on Isolino di San Giovanni – part of the Borromean Islands owned by her family – in Lake Maggiore, Italy, when the bride chose two new gowns by another Italian, Armani.

Beatrice also wore a dress by Alberta Ferretti for a pre-wedding event.

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