Her dress was developed "layer by layer" over the course of several fittings to create the fitted bodice and full pleated skirt. The neckline folded along her shoulders and draped into a full-length train reminiscent of the one her mother, Sarah Ferguson, wore. It was a silhouette the bride specifically requested to allow her scar from a childhood scoliosis operation . Just ahead of her wedding, she explained her decision to ITV, saying "I’m a patron of [the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Appeal] and I had an operation when I was 12 on my back." She added: "It’s a lovely way to honor the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this."