Speculation reached fever pitch over just what newly crowned Princess Catherine Middleton would wear at the Royal Wedding. But another princess felt like she had worn it all before.

The beautiful white dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen bore striking similarities to one worn by the goddaughter of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, Isabella Orsini.

Orsini married Belgian Prince Edouard de Ligne two years ago in a white dress featuring a number of similarities with the one worn by Middleton on her special day.

Despite being designed by Belgian designer Gerald Watelet, the full skirt, lace applique bodice and dramatic train has similar hallmarks.

Orsini told Italian magazine Novella 2000: "As soon as the Duchess of Cambridge went out to go to church, I thought her dress was a copy of mine.

"It means Kate Middleton has good taste."

Kate's arrival at Westminster Abbey

But the similarities to royal wedding dress goes even further back, with another princess, Grace Kelly, wearing the high lace body and full skirt that seems to have become popular amongst the aristocracy.

Miranda Eason, editor of You & Your Wedding magazine believed that Princess Grace of Monaco's dress, worn back in 1956, may have inspired those of the future brides.

She told the Daily Express: "The reason they are similar is they both referenced Grace Kelly’s iconic wedding dress."

However she said there were a number of differences between Orsini's and Catherine's dresses.

"It’s a similar neckline and there are other similarities but the skirt, for example, is different," she said.

Another difference, though, was the scale of the weddings.

While Orsini's wedding to Prince Edouard de Ligne was watched by just several hundred, the Duchess of Cambridge had two billion watch her complete her fairytale.