Meghan Markle will wear a British designed dress when she marries Prince Harry.

The royal groom has picked up the tab for the $130,000 dress from couturiers Ralph & Russo.

His bride will wear a beaded gown when she exchanges vows and then a second dress later on in the day by the same designer.

Markle, 36, will wear the hand-stitched, heavily beaded design to walk down the aisle at St George's Chapel in front of 800 guests on May 19.

There will be a reception afterwards by the Queen in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle.

It had been thought Markle might opt for American designer Vera Wang or British fashionista Stella McCartney.

However, she has gone for a more traditional style dress according to reports.

It is understood that Harry, 33, is delighted with her choice of designer but he will only see Meghan wear the gown when they see each other on the big day.

Commenting on the dress a source revealed: "It sounds a lot but this is the wedding of the year and hundreds of hours of manpower have gone into making it, almost all by hand."

Kensington Palace announced this weekend that the couple will not go on honeymoon until later in the summer and will conduct their first public engagement as a married couple days after their wedding.

Around one billion people around the world are expected to watch the wedding on television.