Photo: The Canadian Press

Clare Waight Keller is the master British designer behind the silk boat-necked gown and long billowing veil worn by Meghan Markle as she walked down the flower-bedecked nave of St. George's Chapel for her wedding to Prince Harry.

The clean lines of the white dress highlighted Markle's smiling face as she sat at the altar of the chapel, holding Harry's hand as the sprawling train lay at her feet.

"It's brave to not have decorations and embellishments. What a strong fashion statement. It's modern and classic at the same time," Phillipa Lepley, a leading London bridal designer, told The Associated Press. "The overall look is very '50s and gorgeous!"

Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of French fashion house Givenchy, met Markle earlier this year, Kensington Palace said. The statement said Markle wanted a dress with an "elegant esthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanour."

The dress featured nothing by way of lace or embroidery, carrying a classic boat neckline, three-quarter length sleeves and an A-line skirt with a train measuring about 70 inches from the waist. Markle complemented it with a tiara, an embroidered cathedral length veil, a bracelet and a small diamond stud earrings.

The veil carried floral references to all 53 countries in the Commonwealth, the group of countries that roughly corresponds to the former British Empire and is headed by Markle's new grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. The palace workers spent hundreds of hours sewing the delicate flower designs into the veil, meticulously washing their hands every half hour to keep the silk tulle and threads clean.

"There are no seams in the bodice," said Lepley. "Incredibly clean and plain dresses such as this are very time consuming and complicated to make, because unlike a lace dress, there is no room for any errors. You can't hide any wrinkles, as the fabric has to sit perfectly."

The palace said, in addition to the Commonwealth flowers, Markle also selected two other plants: Wintersweet and, in a nod to Meghan's birthplace, the California Poppy.

"The dress is simply beautiful in its classic simplicity," said Caroline Burstein, owner of Browns Bride, a top London bridal boutique. She called it "a nod to Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and every iconic wedding we have witnessed throughout the 20th and 21st century. It's perfect for her and for the occasion they are celebrating."

The designer of Markle's dress was one of the wedding's most closely-guarded secrets, sparking months of speculation.

The Bride moves in procession through the Nave where she is joined by The Prince of Wales #RoyalWedding pic.twitter.com/14B5MX0Vmq

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 19, 2018