The Gown by Jennifer Robson

The Gown is a charming tale about two women (one English and one French) who work as embroiderers for a London fashion house in the 1940s and are chosen to work on the wedding gown of Princess (now Queen) Elizabeth.  Ann Hughes lost a brother during the war, but Miriam Dassin had an even rougher time in occupied France. They become fast friends at the House of Hartnell. We find out about their work, the pressure to keep the details of the gown secret before the wedding, and even about the men in their lives. An alternating story relates how Heather, Ann's Canadian granddaughter, unravels her grandmother's story after Ann's death.

There are discussion questions at the end of the book along with an interview with one of the women who actually worked on the wedding gown, in case your book group chooses The Gown for discussion.