Which royal wedding of 2021 was the most lavish? Japan’s Princess Mako married her commoner boyfriend while Princess Diana’s godson Prince Philippos had a dazzling ceremony in Greece

Nov 3 , 2021

Japan’s Princess Mako gave up her royal status to marry her commoner boyfriend Kei Komuro, while Prince Philippos and Nina Flohr of Greece tied the knot in a lavish affair. Photos: Kyodo, EPA-EFE

Greece’s Prince Philippos wed Nina Flohr, who wore a Chanel wedding dress, in a ceremony attended by British royals Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

Russia had its first royal wedding in more than a century while Spain’s Count of Orsono married Belén Corsini in a Disney-like fairy tale event

Royal weddings are some of the most anticipated high society events – if not the most. They give us spectators a glimpse of the fairy tale that we only ever read or hear about when we are young, showcasing the extravagance of royal life.

After almost everyone (including royals!) scaled down on wedding grandeur in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions, the glamorous brides and grooms are back this year with majestic celebrations.

But how did these royal weddings compare to one another?

Princess Mako and Kei Komuro, Japan

Japan’s Princess Mako recently married her former classmate Kei Komuro. Photo: AFP

Congratulations are in order for this controversial couple whose tumultuous road to the altar finally concluded at a Tokyo registry office. Their October nuptials were a very low-key affair, with no wedding banquet or other marriage rituals.

Princess Mako, the 30-year-old niece of Emperor Naruhito, traded the traditional kimono for a pastel sheath dress while her university sweetheart, 30-year-old lawyer Kei Komuro, donned a crisp dark suit and tie.

Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Romanov and Rebecca Virginia Bettarini, Russia

The wedding of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Romanov and Rebecca Virginia Bettarini marked Russia’s first royal wedding in over 100 years. Photo: @rebecca_victoria_romanoff/Instagram

When Grand Duke George Mikhailovich Romanov, 40, and his 39-year-old Italian bride, Rebecca Virginia Bettarini, had their big day, it was the first royal wedding to take place on Russian soil since the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917. This milestone occasion took place in October at Saint Isaac’s cathedral in the former imperial capital of Saint Petersburg. His great-grandfather, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich, was a cousin of Russia’s last Tsar Nicholas II.

Prince Philippos and Nina Flohr, Greece