William invites former homeless woman to wedding

A former homeless woman will undergo a “Cinderella transformation” for the royal wedding after receiving a personal invite from the groom.

Last week it was revealed that Prince William had sent a wedding invitation to the young woman who he met at a gala for a homeless charity last summer.

On Friday, 20-year-old Shozna, whose surname has not been revealed, will be whisked off to a secret location to undergo a special royal makeover.

She will then take her seat amongst royals, A-list celebrities and foreign dignitaries at Westminster Abbey to witness William and Kate Middleton say “I do”.

In October 2009, Shozna, from east London, suffered a stroke which paralysed the right side of her body and left her unable to speak.

Months later, after intense speech therapy and physiotherapy, she became homeless at the age of 18 and was helped by charity Centrepoint, of which William has been patron since 2005.

Shozna will be donning a dress by celebrity fashion designer Raishma Islam, who says it will be “fit for a princess”.

The outfit, worth £1,500 (€1,700), is made from silk hand-dyed in India and will be embellished with hand-sewn beading and embroidery.

Miss Islam, who has made gowns for princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, worked as an assistant to Princess Diana’s bridal gown designer, Elizabeth Emanuel.

She said: “I am thrilled to be creating something really special for Shozna. Her story is incredibly moving and she is a delight to dress as she is so lovely and petite.

“We sat down together and discussed shapes and colours and came up with the idea of a strapless papaya orange and red dress, with a matching red bolero (jacket).

“Now the clock is running as I have literally days to make the outfit from scratch, totally made to measure and with some of my signature, ornate beading.”

Shozna picked a pair of nude-coloured designer heels from upmarket shoe retailer Jimmy Choo and a matching clutch bag to accompany her dress.

The young wedding guest said: “I love the dress and I never thought in a million years I’d one day own a pair of Jimmy Choos.

“I can’t thank everyone who has donated everything enough. It has been the most exciting time of my life.”

Her hair will be given the royal treatment by Warren Holmes, creative international director for Nicky Clarke, who has a long list of high-profile clients including Beatrice and Eugenie.

He said Shozna would be receiving “VIP treatment” at Nicky Clarke’s main London salon.

“I will be aiming to transform the look and texture with a great cut, colour and some extensions too. It will mean several hours of pampering and Shozna deserves every minute.”

Celebrity make-up artist Armand Beasley will also ensure Shozna looks her best on the day and said he would give her “a fresh and sophisticated look”.