Royal weddings: A look back

A look back at some of the more memorable royal weddings of the last century.

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Britain's princess (and now queen) Elizabeth married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on Nov. 20, 1947 at London's Westminster Abbey.

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A coach carrying the newlywed couple Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrives at Buckingham Palace. The two met when Elizabeth was only 13 and, legend has it, Elizabeth wrote secretly to Philip for years before her family approved their union.

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Now married almost 63 years, Queen Elizabeth once said of Prince Philip, "He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I and his whole family, in this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know."

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In April 1956, Hollywood royalty Grace Kelly became a true princess when she married Monaco's Prince Ranier III. At the ceremony, Kelly wore a dress designed by MGM costume designer Helen Rose and entertained guests including David Niven, Gloria Swanson and Ava Gardner. Kelly died in 1982 after she suffered a stroke while driving.

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After their June 1978 wedding, Jordan's King Hussein Ibn Talal proclaimed his wife -- an American of Syrian, British and Swedish descent -- would thereafter be known as "Queen Noor" rather than by her birth name of Lisa Halaby. Following King Hussein's death in 1999, Noor became queen dowager of Jordan and returned to the U.S. to continue her charity work.

Ossinger / AFP

On July 29, 1981 in a ceremony broadcast live around the world and watched by an estimated 750 million viewers, Britain's Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul's Cathedral in what is generally considered to be THE royal wedding of the 20th century.

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In what was perhaps an early indication that Diana would not be a typical wife for Prince Charles, she became the first British royal bride to omit the word "obey" from her wedding vows.

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Diana, the first commoner to marry an heir to the English throne since the 16th century, became a fast favorite of the British people and a paparazzi target. On her wedding day, she wore a fairytale-like gown valued at what seems like a reasonable $13,000 in today's dollars.

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Prince Charles and Diana share a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their July 1981 wedding. <br>
<br>After two children and a somewhat scandalous separation from her husband -- and the royal family -- Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997. An estimated 2.5 billion people watched Diana's televised funeral.

Prince Charles and Diana share a kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their July 1981 wedding.

After two children and a somewhat scandalous separation from her husband -- and the royal family -- Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997. An estimated 2.5 billion people watched Diana's televised funeral.

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Following his brother's lead, Britain's Prince Andrew married commoner Sarah Ferguson -- aka "Fergie" -- on July 24, 1986. The couple separated in 1992, though remained close and amicably raised daughters Beatrice and Eugenie. Their divorce was finalized in 1996.

In May 2010, Fergie was caught on tape trying to sell access to her ex for $700,000 in cash.

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Then 30-year-old Al-Muhtadee Billah, crown prince of Brunei, married 17-year-old Penigran Anak Sara on Sept. 9, 2004 in a ceremony estimated to cost $5 million.

Bazuki Muhammad / Reuters

With years of scandal behind them, Prince Charles and longtime love Camilla Parker-Bowles wed on April 9, 2005. Charles's parents -- Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip -- did not attend the ceremony.

Anthony Devlin / AP

In May 2008, Denmark's Prince Joachim, fourth in line to the Danish throne, married Marie Cavalier. It was Joachim's second marriage.

Jens Dige / AP

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