9. Brocade For Wedding Dress
Given to: Elizabeth II, the queen
Contributed by: Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli Estimated value: not specified
President Shukri al-Quwatli of Syria gave 200 metres of brocade to Queen Elizabeth II in 1947, when she was still a princess. The fabric was ultimately used by Her Majesty for her well-known bridal gown, which was fashioned from Damascus brocade imported from Syria.
Elizabeth II’s Wedding Dress Brocade ©Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Handcrafted “using gold, silver, and natural silk threads,” brocade is “one of the most prestigious and expensive fabrics of Syria’s Damascus,” according to the Middle East Eye. While she did not travel to Syria, Queen Elizabeth II did so with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at Buckingham Palace in 2002.
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