Their high-profile marriage began with a fairytale wedding, the births of two princes, and immense public fascination, but ultimately ended in a bitter divorce.
Lady Diana Spencer, then 20, married Prince Charles, 32, on July 29, 1981, at St Paul’s Cathedral in a grand ceremony attended by 3,500 guests.
Hailed as the ‘wedding of the century’, a record-breaking 750 million people in 74 countries across the globe tuned in to watch the event on television.
The couple had announced their engagement just five months earlier, on February 24, 1981, in an exclusive interview.
When speaking to the BBC, Charles expressed his feelings about the engagement, saying he was ‘delighted and frankly amazed’ that Diana was ‘prepared’ to take him on.
However, he upset his future wife when he was asked if they were in love. Diana replied, ‘Of course,’ while Charles quipped, ‘Whatever in love means’ – a comment she was believed to find ‘traumatising.’
During the interview, Diana debuted her now-iconic engagement ring, a stunning 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in 18-carat white gold.
Designed by luxury jeweller Garrard and inspired by a brooch worn by Queen Victoria on her wedding day, the ring was considered an unusual choice for royalty as it was not custom-made. Today, it is worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales.
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Prince Charles proposed to Diana with a now-iconic Garrard ring, a stunning 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in 18-carat white gold
According to Jonathan Dimbleby’s book, The Prince of Wales, the managing editor of Debrett’s noted that Diana’s ancestry would ‘bring Stuart blood back into the royal family as she was descended five times from Charles II (“four times on the wrong side of the blanket, and one on the right side”).’
Indeed, Diana had royal ancestry on both sides of her family. She was a descendant of the Spencer earls and had ties to both English and Scottish royalty.
Through her great-grandmothers, Adelaide Seymour and Rosalind Bingham, she was descended from two illegitimate sons of King Charles II – Henry Fitzroy and Charles Lennox.
She was also related to Mary, Queen of Scots, and Winston Churchill, making her family lineage deeply rooted in British history.
Mr Dimbleby writes that Charles was aware of the weight of his decision to marry Diana – and their relationship was based on companionship.
The Prince once said: ‘Whatever I say is not going to be understood by the vast majority of people… A lot of people get the wrong idea of what love is all about… It’s basically a very strong friendship.
‘As often as not you have shared interests and ideas in common and also have a great deal of affection. And I think where you are very lucky is when you find the person attractive in the physical and the mental sense…
‘To me marriage, which may be for fifty years, seems to be one of the biggest and most responsible steps to be taken in one’s life.
‘Marriage is something you ought to work at. I may easily be proved wrong but I intend to work at it when I get married.’
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After the Privy Council sanctioned their wedding, Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles pose with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in March 1981
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Diana’s father, Earl Spencer, accompanied her down the aisle of St Paul’s Cathedral
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Lady Diana Spencer, then 20, married Prince Charles, 32, on July 29, 1981, at St Paul’s Cathedral in a grand ceremony attended by 3,500 guests
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Hailed as the ‘wedding of the century’, a record-breaking 750 million people in 74 countries across the globe tuned in to watch the event on television
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L to R: The Queen Mother, Lord Nicholas Windsor, Edward Van Cutsem, Sarah Jane Gaselee, Catherine Cameron, Lady Diana Spencer, Prince Charles, Clementine Hambro, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew
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The newlyweds delighted fans by sharing a kiss on the palace balcony, which became a royal tradition
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Charles and Diana on board the The Royal Yacht Britannia as they prepare to depart on their honeymoon cruise in Gibraltar, August 1981
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Charles and Diana were all smiles following their grand wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral
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The royal couple pose for photographers beside the River Dee in Scotland during their post-honeymoon visit to Balmoral Castle
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Diana, wearing a Bill Pashley suit, appeared besotted with her husband during their stay at Balmoral
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Charles was reportedly conscious of the challenges his predecessors had faced in balancing love and duty
Charles was also reportedly conscious of the challenges his predecessors had faced in balancing love and duty.
He reflected on the difficulties encountered by Prince Albert Edward (later Edward VII) and his great-uncle David (later Edward VIII), both of whom struggled to reconcile personal affections with the responsibilities of their royal roles.
‘Discussing his own dilemma in private, the Prince used to call in evidence the marriage of his grandfather George VI and his grandmother Queen Elizabeth, a relationship which grew into love but which derived its initial strength from sharing duties and raising children,’ Mr Dimbleby pens.
Complicating matters further was Charles’ bond with Camilla Parker Bowles, who had attended the wedding and once again become a significant figure in his life.
Her husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, was a regular guest at Balmoral, Sandringham and Windsor, maintaining a longstanding friendship with Charles and the Royal Family.
With his marriage to Camilla, she too became a familiar presence at these gatherings.
Over time, Charles came to consider Camilla as his best friend, whom he could ‘totally confide’ in, describing her as his ‘touchstone’ and ‘sounding board’.
Their frequent telephone conversations reflected their deep bond and would later contribute to the breakdown of his marriage to Diana.