A royal who was a bridesmaid at Princess Diana's wedding has spoken about why she was "alarmed" when she saw her dress.
India Hicks, the second cousin and goddaughter of Prince Charles, was 13 years old when she served as a bridesmaid for Princess Diana when the pair tied the knot in July 1981.
Being in the royal fold, Hicks knew what was expected of her on the big day, but was nonetheless "alarmed" when the self-dubbed "tomboy" was asked to put on a "frilly dress".
Speaking to Insider, she said: "It was a time and place and a moment in fashion in the 1980s. So it was voluptuous and over the top, and drama everywhere.
"So I understand that those dresses were so befitting to the era. However, if you were a tomboy like me... when you are asked to be a bridesmaid, you are proud and delighted, but you are a little alarmed at being asked to wear a frilly dress, as you can imagine."
Hicks - whose mum was one of Her Majesty's Ladies in Waiting - has spoken of the wedding day in the past, describing it as "one of my worst hair days ever".
"Looking back, it's incredible to think of how historical that wedding was," she told Insider. "I think at the time, everybody thought it was this fairytale — nobody understood what was to come."
She added: "I felt hugely proud that I was part of it, but you know, afterwards my mother said to me, 'Right, that is that, and now it's back to your normal life."
Hicks and her mum Lady Pamela held an online conversation yesterday in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee milestone.
The event was titled "70 Years of Duty and Friendship," with a portion of the proceeds going to The Prince's Trust.
"Sunday, February 6 is the day that the Queen became Queen. My mom was with her," Hicks said.
Last September, Hicks finally married her long term partner David Flint Wood, with whom she had been in a relationship for 25 years.
Some 40 years ago Hicks, the granddaughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, had walked down the aisle with the late princess when she was aged 13.
Despite swearing she herself would never marry she surprised the nation the year before by declaring her looming nuptials.
