King Charles III and Diana Spencer

Year: 1981

Location: St Paul’s Cathedral, London

Est. Cost: $156 Million (adjusted for inflation)

This was the OG televised Royal Wedding that set the precedent for all others that followed. The nuptials of then-Prince Charles and Diana Spencer in 1981 were dubbed the “wedding of the century.”

The world was captivated by their union at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, with over 750 million viewers tuning in. Diana’s iconic wedding dress, adorned with over 10,000 pearls, cost $11,000 at the time, equivalent to $43K today. 120 guests attended the couple’s wedding breakfast at Buckingham Palace. The total bill for the nuptials, adjusting for inflation, reached around $156 million, making it one of the most extravagant royal weddings ever.