The 1967 film adaptation of a stage musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, Camelot is a story of King Arthur, his Queen Guenevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table based on T. H. White’s “The Once and Future King”.
Arthur’s and Guenevere’s marriage had been arranged and they had never met until Guenevere travelled to Arthur’s castle to marry him and become the Queen of England. The first time she met Arthur in the forest, she did not know who he was. But she liked him for what he was and enjoyed his company. When it was revealed that he was the King, she gladly went with him to marry.
For four years, Arthur and Guenevere were partners in ruling the realm. After the Round Table was created, its fame reached France and a knight, Lancelot Du Lac, decided to travel to England to become one of the knights of the Round Table.
Self-assured, aware of his perfection and suffering from no false modesty, Guenevere initially found Lancelot to be insufferable. In time, however, they fell in love. Arthur’s bastard, Mordred, used the adulterous relationship to destroy the shaky peace that Arthur managed to achieve with the Round Table.
Camelot‘s wedding scene will always be one of the most unique in film history. Arthur and Guenevere walk down the aisle of the church where there are no visible people. Instead, on either side of the aisle are numerous candles.
From a distance, Guenevere’s wedding gown may appear to be made of corded lace, but it isn’t. Rather, the outer layer is a crocheted piece designed like a series of small spider webs. The dramatic train is trimmed with bleached pumpkin seeds.
Labeled today as a vintage wedding gown, the streamlined silhouette of Guenevere’s wedding gown reflects the fashion of the 60’s. But whether or not it is an accurate depiction of medieval fashion is unclear. In fact, since the story of King Arthur and his Round Table are part of folklore rather than history, and since there is no definite century when he was supposed to have existed, it is next to impossible to replicate what exactly the king’s bride might have worn.
Whether or not Guenevere’s wedding gown is a credible interpretation of an authentic medieval dress, it will always be one of the most beautiful wedding dresses in film.
“Roman J. Israel, Esq.”