BBC News Online: UK

Dresses to thrill royal fans

Madame Tussaud's says visitors are standing in line to be photographed with replicas of the gowns worn by Princess Diana, the Duchess of York and Prince Edward's new bride, the Countess of Wessex on their wedding days.

The spectacular designs were displayed side-by-side for the first time on Wednesday.

Antique lace

Diane Moon, a spokeswoman for the famous waxworks museum said Diana's dress - with its 40-metre silk taffeta train - was the most popular.

She said: "People are walking into the room and gasping at the sight.

"When we put Diana's dress on show back in 1981, we had queues right around the building," she said.

The outfits are exact replicas, apart from one tiny exception.

The lace on Diana's original gown was taken from a dress belonging to Queen Mary's, a detail not repeated on the copy.

Princess Diana's marriage to Prince Charles in 1981 and Sarah Ferguson's marriage to Prince Andrew, in 1986 both ended in divorce.