We are all aware that a royal's existence is not precisely a fairytale in the twenty-first century. Every now and then the news of problems in the royal families comes into the picture. People, today, know that regal families are not perfect. However, in the 1980s, before instant messaging and social media, everyone thought that fairy tale love existed. However, the reality was far from "happily ever after" as it is today.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana's brief romance - and how it ended - seems to be more significant now than it ever has been. Despite the fact that their marriage ended more than 20 years ago, their story has gained prominence in recent times. Leaving aside Meghan Markle's recent experiences, Netflix's The Crown brought everything back into focus. However, as the show isn’t a documentary, the story shown in the show was far from the actual reality as they couldn’t show most of the parts. The whole story of what occurred between Charles and Diana and how everything went so wrong is revealed in this article.
Doomed from the beginning
In 1992, Buckingham Palace penned the concluding scene of a fairytale union that tragically failed. The Prince and Princess of Wales’s 11-year marriage practically came to an end with the Palace's seven-sentence announcement, which was made public in front of the entire world.
However, the way their relationship started, it was quite obvious that their relationship had no chance from the start. Obviously, no one seemed to notice the issues at the time. However, if we look back at the events of their relationship, everything would start making sense. The story's beginning was a little out of the line as Diana wasn't the first Spencer girl Charles set his eyes on.
Courting her sister
The relationship between Charles and Diana did not actually start with them. Instead, it opens with Lady Sarah Spencer, Diana's older sister, and Charles. Lady Sarah and Charles had a brief relationship before she was too open with the media. Eventually, she opened out to reporters about her personal struggles and declared that she would never wed Charles, regardless of whether he was the garbage man or the King of England.
Charles quickly abandoned the connection after becoming justly incensed. However, he went to Althorp House, Spencer’s home since 1508, and encountered Diana for the first time there. At the time, she was a 16-year-old girl. Charles and Sarah were still together then.
The light switches set the scene
Everything started out innocently, not only because Charles was seeing her sister but also because Diana was still an adolescent. There was a 13-year age gap between Charles and Diana as he was 29 years old in 1977. For a weekend of hunting, the future king came to the 1,500-acre Althorp House. During the whole hunting scene, he found out that Diana was a fun girl to be around.
Diana, on the other hand, was enamored and excited. She was so overwhelmed after meeting him. She even expressed her excitement to her piano teacher. She even gave Charles a tour of the art gallery in Althorp because Sarah didn't know where the hidden light switches were. This act of Diana infuriated her older sister. It was one of the dear memories of Charles with Diana that he would remember for years to come.
Charles lacked the "cool" factor
Despite their enormous age gap and instant chemistry, Charles and Diana didn’t actually interact again for almost three years. The fatal guided tour was their last interaction. It was in 1980 when they made their next move. The timing wasn't ideal because Lord Mountbatten, Charles' great-uncle, and confidant, had just been murdered by Irish radicals.
Diana tried to soothe the prince by speaking to him in a polite, sincere manner after she watched the burial and felt so bad. According to Diana, Charles misunderstood her intention and allegedly retaliated by jumping over her. Although she had never been in a relationship before, she felt uncomfortable because of Charles's behavior and found his act not excellent.
Unusual courtship
Whether it was uncool or not, the whole incident around the death of Lord Mountbatten was the turning point in the couple's relationship. After a brief but intense courtship, it became apparent that Charles wasn't exactly a pro. Peter Settelen, a voice coach, recorded Diana chatting about her personal life when she was receiving public speaking instruction.
Excerpts from the cassettes, which have never been made fully public, illustrate how the future Princess of Wales rated Charles's courting skills. Diana stated that there were times when he would phone her every day and other times when they would go three weeks without speaking. Nonetheless, this might come out to be strange for many but she enjoyed each and every phone call. She used to wait for weeks for him to call.
'In love' whichever it is meant
In 1981, the entire world celebrated when Prince Charles, the future king, announced his engagement to Diana Spencer. Diana, who was only 19 at the time, felt like she would breathe new life into the stuffy Royal Family. She was indeed very excited to become a part of their life. She assumed that her life would be like a fairy tale. Everyone who looked at her recognized the upcoming Queen Consort. Everyone, with the possible exception of Charles.
The reporter questioned them about being in love during the very interview where they announced their engagement. Naturally, Diana answered right away. However, Charles laughed out the question and threw in, jokingly maybe, whatever being 'in love’ means. The whole response led to an awkward situation. It was possible that it was a direct warning for all the things that were about to come in the future.
Their radically divergent perspectives on their first encounter
In fact, there was another item in the engagement interview that may have appeared unimportant at the time. Any devoted royal observer is aware that engagement interviews are frequently uncomfortable. Nevertheless, there was one conversation that, in retrospect, perfectly revealed the chasm between the two. Diana described Charles as being "quite great" when asked about their first encounter.
Meanwhile, when Charles was asked the same question, he immediately said that he thought she was "jolly and funny." Charles then described her as a girl who was fun to be around, bouncing, and full of life after giving it some more thought. Those who knew Diana would agree that it shouldn't have been that challenging to find complimentary things to say about Diana as she had a great soul and personality.
Forced to make a proposal?
The question that hit everyone’s mind even today is why on earth did Prince Charles propose if he truly felt nothing about Diana and their relationship? Robert Jobson, a royal authority, provided the closest answer we might ever get. Jobson claims that Charles informed a friend that he was trapped in the relationship and that ending the relationship would have been disastrous. He had no other option but to go through with his relationship with Diana.
After all, Charles was over 30 and still unmarried. Additionally, there were apparently outside pressures. While his father, Prince Philip, allegedly pushed him to either propose to or end things with Diana, Charles' grandmother, the Queen Mother, apparently considered the reserved Diana as the ideal wife. Everyone in his life was in favor of taking things forward with Diana.
On the eve of their wedding, Charles allegedly told Diana that he didn't love her
A couple's wedding-night preparations are supposed to be spectacular. It is the most important day in a couple’s life. It's the last instance of tender peace before the celebrations and enthusiasm erupt. One close friend claimed that Charles and Diana experienced the exact opposite. Imagine things getting worse on your wedding day. Wouldn’t it break your heart from the core?
Penny Thornton, a personal astrologer for Diana, claimed in a documentary from 2020 that Charles allegedly informed Diana, he didn't love her on the eve of their wedding. Hearing these unpleasant words from Charles’s mouth naturally saddened her. A few hours prior to the wedding, Charles reportedly told his friends that Diana was "a child" and didn't appear old enough to be out of school. He was disturbed that he had to marry such a young girl. Diana was 19 years old and he didn’t consider her fit to be his wife. However, there is no proper evidence that he said those words and these are only allegations.
Diana cannot change her mind at this time
Nonetheless, Diana had a lot to be concerned about, whether or not Charles really disclosed his actual sentiments to her. Charles had a lengthy crush on Camilla Parker Bowles, whose name will undoubtedly be mentioned frequently in this article. She seemed to have been friends with Diana at first, but a series of events made her suspicious.
Charles reportedly gave Camilla a bracelet with the letters G and F on it two weeks before the big event, Charles and Diana’s wedding. G and F stand for Gladys and Fred, the couple's nicknames for one another. Diana came to know about the gift and was so upset that she told her sisters she couldn't carry out the wedding. However, none of them were in support of her. She was told that she had no other option but to carry out the wedding. This further broke Diana’s heart. She felt like she was all alone.
The first time the paparazzi caught sight of Diana
Princess Diana died prematurely in 1997 as a result of the paparazzi’s fascination with her life. It was told that with extension that the whole world was fascinated by her. Even if such widespread attention seemed unattainable in 1981, there were unmistakable early indicators.
Only about 12 dates had been had by the time Charles proposed to Diana. Diana, who was still considered a teen, struggled to deal with stardom and reportedly started crying while driving. She sadly stated that she knew that the paparazzi were just doing their duty like many others who just do their jobs. However, she just wished that sometimes they would just stop doing their duty and leave her alone for a while.
Camilla and Charles won the decisive exchange
As if being scrutinized by the media weren't trying enough, Diana herself recalled another instance that broke her heart. Charles was preparing to embark on a five-week tour of Australia and New Zealand just one month after popping the question. She was already very sad about the whole scene of him leaving her alone.
Diana was allegedly in tears as she prepared to wish Charles goodnight when a phone call abruptly cut them off. Diana felt compelled to leave the room since the dialogue with Camilla became so intimate. She believed she could never compete for his affection at that particular time. She was feeling like a third wheel in the relationship between Charles and Camilla.
Charles' phone call was overheard by Diana
When Charles and Diana announced their engagement, Diana moved into Clarence House, the royal residence of Charles, leaving her small apartment, which she shared with numerous other people. She eventually moved into Buckingham Palace after leaving that location. She recalled that Clarence House was a place of dead energy and she was terribly lonely there. She neither liked the vibes of the place nor her living situation.
Diana heard Charles talking on the phone to Camilla while he was in the bath. What she heard made her terribly sad and made her feel even more alone. She alleged he told Camilla that he will always love her no matter what happens. Another time, she noticed a picture of Camilla ejecting from his journal. The situation was not good. She was having a gut feeling that she didn’t belong there.
Blissful wedding day?
The big day had finally arrived on July 29, 1981. Diana Spencer became the Princess of Wales and married Charles in front of 3,500 guests and 750 million viewers worldwide. The day seemed magical for those who didn’t know about the mess that Diana was in. Everyone enjoyed the wedding to the core. The people of Wales were happy to get Diana as their princess.
About 600,000 people gathered outside St. Paul's Cathedral to see this fairytale pair, but they were utterly unaware of the early signs of trouble in their supposedly flawless relationship. Diana sadly stated that she was mistaken in her assumption that Charles was going to take care of her. In reality, he broke Diana’s assumptions and treated her in the worst way possible as he deprived her of basic respect and decency.
Can't escape Camilla
It seems that even the wedding ceremony of Charles and Diana itself wasn't without sadness. Camilla was invited to the wedding for whatever reason—feel free to speculatively—for whatever justification. Diana not only knew Camilla was there but went out of her way to find her since she was already aware that something wasn't right in her soon-to-be husband's relationship with the married woman.
Years later, she could still clearly remember seeing Camilla sitting there in a gloomy state as she was proceeding down the aisle. Diana was so disturbed after seeing Camilla that she mispronounced Charles' name, calling him Philip Charles Arthur George rather than Charles Philip. We don’t know for sure but maybe the mispronunciation was the result of meeting her opponent.
The accident while Diana was pregnant with William
Prince William was born to Charles and Diana less than a year after their wedding. One of the best periods in a couple's lives is expected to be the birth of their first child and the pregnancy that precedes it. The couples usually celebrate the whole process together and with utmost care. However, it was not the case with the royal couple. Charles and Diana defied convention once more.
When Diana was four months pregnant, her butler Paul Burrell recalled hearing a noise and discovering the Princess halfway down a wooden staircase. He was confident that she did it deliberately. It was an allegation then but we learned in 1992 that she in fact planned that fall. She was feeling unloved. Charles was not giving her the care she deserve during those days. Therefore, she had apparently hurled herself down the stairs in an effort to catch Charles' attention.
Diana’s Postpartum depression
As it soon became clear, Diana's mood didn't get much better even after having William. She had had postpartum depression, something many women experiences but few are willing to discuss. Even the Princess of Wales held back from discussing it at the moment and finally revealed it 13 years later. She dealt with her postpartum depression on her own as it was not something relevant in the royal family.
Diana recalled dreading getting out of bed in the morning and feeling misunderstood. She complained bitterly that many had portrayed her as unbalanced during this time. She thought her new family regarded her more favorably as a guest than as a daughter-in-law. She was constantly feeling that she didn’t belong there. She was feeling suffocated in her own house.
We're a little overweight, aren't we?
Tragically, Diana had further illnesses besides postpartum depression. She recalled Charles grasping her waist the week following their engagement and commenting that she had gained weight and was looking a little overweight. We don’t know if he said those words as a joke or if he was serious about it. Whatever the case, she was in shock.
Eventually, Diana developed an eating disorder as a result of the stress of being scrutinized by the public and her husband's friendship with Camilla. It had so deep impact on her and it took her almost ten years to get over it. She did, however, assert that between being engaged and getting married, she shed five and a half inches off her waistline. She was feeling like she had lost her identity and had become nothing.
The tour to Australia that forever altered everything
The Princess of Wales traveled abroad for the first time as a member of the Royal Family in 1983 when she was just 21 years old. In actuality, it was her first overseas trip. It made sense that the 40-day trip to Australia and New Zealand was methodically reproduced in season four of The Crown. It was a significant moment for the couple as well as the Royal Family.
Since Queen Elizabeth's visit to Australia in 1954, was the largest royal visit there. Up to 40,000 people turned out to see them on each outing. However, a closer look revealed a distinctly different picture. The trip proved to be crucial for both the Crown and the lives of Charles and Diana.
A permanent chasm was created between them
Before the trip was completed, it was evident that Diana had fulfilled a lifelong dream by ascending to the status of "queen of people's hearts." Charles was aware that she had at least 6,000 handshakes during the tour. Although this is only an estimate, we know the number was 6,000 or close to that. During a walkabout, the spectators reportedly booed when they saw him approaching their side of the street.
Diana was observed making a goofy expression during a formal meal as Charles praised his good fortune in marrying her. He quipped that it was amazing what women do when you're not looking. He allegedly wasn't as amused in private. Diana used the word "jealousy" to describe the situation in an interview.
Hope for their relationship's future
Early in 1984, Diana became pregnant once more, and for once, it appeared as if their union could truly work. Charles and Diana reportedly grew extremely close and worked on their marriage in the weeks before the baby was born. Maybe they wanted to make things better.
Diana made the decision to conceal her pregnancy with a boy in order to preserve their relationship since she knew Charles preferred a daughter after having a male heir. She also hoped that Charles would be so delighted to have a healthy son that he would forget his original wish. Unfortunately, she was again wrong in her assumptions as it was not at all what occurred.
During Harry's birth, Charles made several terrible jokes
Charles’s and Diana’s newly discovered marital bliss lasted exactly as long as the arrival of the child who would become Prince Harry. Charles's first words after first spotting Harry were, "Oh God, it's a boy." However, it was not even the start of his terrible jokes. The bad jokes came later.
Charles even seemingly added insult to injury by pointing out that the boy got red hair. Although he later insisted that he was joking, Diana was deeply hurt by his remarks. To begin with, she had just given birth to a healthy baby after a painful nine-hour vaginal birth. Second, she had a large redhead family, so she took that remark quite personally.
Their union "goes bang"
Given everything, Charles might have benefited from showing a little more sensitivity. Nine-hour labor apart, Diana also had a miscarriage before becoming pregnant with Harry. Unfortunately, Charles continued to utter crude comments. It is said that Prince Harry said to Diana's mother at Harry's christening that they were really disappointed with the birth because they had assumed it would be a female.
Frances Kydd, Diana's mother, thought the comment was offensive and informed Diana about it. Diana told her biographer that this caused her to "shut off" inside. She had reached her threshold and it was the end to everything. Their marriage "went bang" when Harry was born. Diana believed that the entire endeavor was a waste.
Their concurrent affairs
And thus, in 1986, Charles and Diana both started having affairs, and the relationship was officially over. Charles's long-standing relationship with Camilla, which had just been simmering, was brought to a boil in 1986. It was pointed out by his own biographer. James Hewitt, an army captain who had taught Diana to ride, was on her side.
The redhead Hewitt has been constantly claimed to be Harry's biological father despite the timings not matching their five-year relationship, which lasted until 1991. It is a Greek tragedy in every way, Charles opined in a letter. Obviously, he had never imagined his relationship with Diana would come to this.
Diana is "much in love" with her married bodyguard
To be fair to Charles, though, there isn't much proof that he was physically unfaithful to Diana before 1986. The Princess of Wales cannot be described in the same way. She reportedly had a relationship with Barry Mannakee, her protection officer or bodyguard, from 1984 to 1986. Diana claimed to be "seriously in love" with Mannakee, despite the fact that he was already married.
Even though Diana was beyond renowned and wealthy, she said that she would do anything for him. Mannakee was shifted to other tasks, or removed from his position after the tales about their affair were well-known across Wales.
Charles and Prince Philip's unsettling talk
Charles escalated his emotional bond with Camilla in 1986. According to Princess Diana, Prince Philip, his father, was the culprit or main mind behind triggering Charles to take steps further in his relationship with Camilla. Diana was open and truthful during a session with her voice coach Peter Settelen, which he taped. Diana related a tale about an alleged conversation the two royals had.
The Princess of Wales claims that Prince Philip advised Charles to return to Camilla if his marriage didn't work out after five years. Given that they were wed in 1981, it was exactly five years later in 1986. It was all pre-planned that Charles was free to do whatever he liked after failing his marriage with Diana.
The roaring mouse
Diana wasn't really the same person she was when Charles married her. She was just 20 years old and since then she had faced so many things and evolved over time. Diana was a global celebrity who mingled with Elton John and danced with John Travolta at the White House. She was no longer the shy, mousy adolescent he initially met at Althorp.
But to be honest, Charles wasn't quite the same either. He was a debonaire James Bond-style man of the world when Diana fell in love with him. He intended to be a farmer when their marriage ended according to some rumors.
Diana mustered the courage to confront Camilla
As time went on, Charles was unable to end his ostensible connection with Camilla or reluctant to do so. Things finally reached a breaking point in 1989. Diana, who is generally quiet and reserved, summoned up the courage to speak to Camilla during a celebration for Camilla's sister's 40th birthday.
Diana interrupted a conversation between Camilla, Charles, and a third unidentified guy at the party after arriving unannounced. Her presence at the party was already shocking to all. Diana acknowledged in later-made public tapes that she had been "terrified" to approach Camilla for a private conversation. However, she maintained her calm and carried out her plan.
Diana confronted
Diana was advised to just confront Camilla without thinking about the results by a voice inside of her. Therefore, she did. She launched the opening volley without holding back. She confronted Camilla and said that she know what was going on between her and Charles. Camilla supposedly said that Diana has everything she ever wanted and all the men in the world were in love with her.
Camilla further added in her conversation with Diana that what more could she ask for? To which Diana replied that she wanted her husband. This was as simple as she could’ve explained to her. Diana claimed that Charles questioned her about what she told Camilla after the party. She explained that she said she loves Charles and there's nothing wrong with that.
The alleged emotional mistreatment of Diana
Charles has endured an almost unparalleled barrage of criticism for his connection with Camilla over the years, especially now that he is the only one who is still living. However, at least one royal authority claims that Diana was an abusive partner.
Author Sally Bedell Smith stated that the Princess of Wales derided Charles's ambitions and even teased him by suggesting he'd never be king in her best-selling and contentious book about her. She claimed that Charles was suffering Diana’s allegations and never answered back to her.
Diana and Charles alone themselves at the Taj Mahal
The world became aware that the Prince and Princess of Wales’s union might be in trouble in early 1992. Diana was seen alone on a seat in front of the Taj Mahal, one of the most well-known romantic symbols, while on a royal tour of India with Charles.
The picture was a moving reminder, almost in the style of Hollywood, that romanticism was lacking in Diana’s own union with Charles. The fact that Charles had been there twelve years ago is even more symbolic. He made a promise to return someday with the woman he loved while sitting alone on the same bench. As he didn’t love Diana, it would be safe to say that he never returned there with the woman he loved.
The kiss that never was
When pressed about the visit later in the tour, Diana described it as a "healing experience." She merely added when clarification about the tour was requested that one should just work things out for themselves. As you may expect, the media had a field day. It appears that there was no shortage of symbolism during the journey.
Charles went to his wife to get the reward after winning a practice polo match. He turned and walked away rather than leaning in for the conventional kiss. After quickly recognizing his error, he went back and attempted to kiss Diana on the cheek. She made a U-turn. Diana eventually acknowledged deliberately degrading Charles, just as he had done to her.
Diana's covert participation in the book that would lead to her divorce
If Diana was abusive, Charles was, or whether they both were to some degree, one thing is certain: if Diana had honestly intended to end the marriage, she should have spoken to Andrew Morton. The explosive Diana: Her True Story, the 1992 tell-all that revealed every detail of Diana's life and relationships, cannot be understated.
The book originally included controversial information that was attributed to unnamed royal sources. Morton didn't divulge the real source until after Diana had passed away in 1997. After her death, it was known that it was Diana herself. She had participated in six covertly taped interviews without the Palace's knowledge. As she was doing this covertly, she could’ve revealed the truth about ending her marriage if she wanted to.
Charles frequently makes jokes about having two wives
After the publication of the book, Charles and Diana visited South Korea on business. The British press renamed them "the Glums" because of how wretched they appeared. Charles was probably making them feel worse by making the same insensitive jokes over and over.
Charles "joked" at a gathering that it would have been simpler if he had two wives to cover each side of the roadway while he walked in the middle "directing the operation." Diana didn't appear to laugh while the crowd did. It was very offensive given his continuous relationship with Camilla, which was already known to the public. The whole situation might be funny for Charles but it was extremely awkward for Diana.
Announcing the news to the country
The Prince and Princess of Wales would be divorcing, Prime Minister John Major said on the British parliament floor, one month after their disastrous trip to South Korea. Major attempted to lessen the shock by saying the two had no plans to divorce and would continue to fulfill their royal duties separately as future King and Queen Consort, knowing a national television audience was watching.
An unprecedented silence descended upon the House of Commons during this time. Nobody knew how it was meant to work, but it was appropriate that Charles and Diana weren't together when the announcement was made. They didn’t even make any comments on their divorce matter.
The Couple made unsuccessful attempts to save their marriage
It appears that the choice to separate was not taken lightly. Diana acknowledged feeling deep and was in great anguish about it all in a 1995 interview. She said that despite their efforts, they had eventually simply run out of steam.
Charles offered his own viewpoint in an interview he conducted himself a year earlier. He said that his relationship with Camilla didn't start until after his marriage to Diana irretrievably fell down. He believed that both of them tried to save their relationship but it eventually came to an end. They could at least agree on that because there were many other issues they didn't agree on in the near future.
A three-person union was "a little bit crowded”
Regarding Camilla, Diana expressed just that in a one-on-one conversation with Martin Bashir of the BBC in November 1995. A member of the Royal Family speaking so openly about their struggles was truly remarkable.
Diana spoke about a wide range of topics, including her eating condition which she referred to as a "hidden disease" and her estranged husband's mistress. Diana just said that there were three people in her marriage with Charles, so it was a bit crowded. When asked directly if Camilla played a role in the dissolution of her marriage, she seemed extremely positive about it.
The separation is concluded
Charles and Diana split up in 1992, although they wouldn't have a legal divorce until 1996. The two had been arguing over the specifics of the arrangement, which was no easy chore when the future king was involved. It was certainly not for lack of effort, though.
Charles announced he would stop paying Diana's bills in terms of money. She was given a lump sum divorce settlement, at least $22.5 million, instead. As a result, 40 of Diana's favorite stores received orders to start delivering Diana their bills rather than to Charles. But it didn't end there. There were more discomforts for Diana from the royal family.
The Royal Family took one last swipe at Diana
Money issues notwithstanding, the real humiliation of the divorce lay in the titles. The Royal Family makes one final jab at Diana. Whether it was Charles or Queen Elizabeth, according to insider stories, Diana's title as "Her Royal Highness," designating her as a higher-ranking royal, was abruptly taken away from her.
The fact that Diana was still the future king's mother, however, permitted her to retain the title of Princess of Wales. After hearing the news, William allegedly consoled her by saying her not to worry and that he will give her the HRH title back one day when he will a king. Tragically, he never had the opportunity. Nonetheless, it was very sweet of him to acknowledge the matter.
A monarch of people's affections
There was a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy at work here, in a way. Diana was asked whether she ever imagined becoming queen in the aforementioned Bashir interview while she and Charles were still legally married, despite their separation. Diana answered categorically that she didn't.
Diana claimed that because of who she was, the institution she married into thought she was unfit to serve. She didn't even view herself as a Queen of the country neither she wanted to be a Queen of the nation. However, she expressed that she would like to be a queen of people's hearts, in people's hearts. She turned out to be correct on both points in the end.
Charles eventually achieved his goal
Diana, Princess of Wales and ruler of countless hearts, perished in a sad, ostensibly preventable car accident in Paris in 1997. Her two sisters and Prince Charles went to the French capital in order to bring her body back to Britain.
Charles said shortly after the funeral that he had no plans to get married again, and the Palace later embraced this stance. Despite saying it repeatedly, Charles eventually married Camilla, a divorcee herself, in 2005. It was such a deed that almost brought down the monarchy in 1936. It was a Saturday in 2005.
Will The Crown bring everything crashing down?
After bringing their decades-long affair to a logical end 15 years ago, Charles and Camilla have both undergone significant public transformations since then. The two were formerly considered the world's worst foes because of their alleged involvement in Diana's brief and somewhat depressing life.
It goes without saying that the best spin doctors were used to repair problems; nothing was left to chance. Until the fourth season of The Crown debuted in late 2020, it appeared to be working. Time will tell if Charles and Camilla's reputation can endure having old wounds reopened and holding the knife to their throats.
Princess Diana frequently attended Wimbledon
Diana was no longer the shy girl Charles had fallen in love with, and it appears that Charles and Diana also had completely dissimilar hobbies and interests. Diana first went to Wimbledon in 1981, a month before she married Prince Charles. She would frequently attend tennis competitions over the years and would hardly ever be joined by Charles.
In actuality, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and she were frequently spotted together. The couple would frequently joke around and laugh, which was regrettably uncommon in their unhappy royal union. Diana used to enjoy her life while playing tennis. After all, she had very few escapes from reality in her life.
Their educational backgrounds were drastically different
Diana wasn't very book sharp, although Prince Charles would go on to become the first heir apparent to receive a college degree. When asked about her education during interviews, she was incredibly open and even revealed that she had attempted the O levels twice and failed both times.
Even when Diana was younger, she took a month off from attending her English boarding school to study abroad in Switzerland. Diana, however, had a wide range of other interests and was thought to be extremely intelligent. Although she didn’t have much bookish knowledge, she had a deep passion for dance, music, athletics, and hospitality.
From a catalog, Charles selected her ring
You'd think that Prince Charles would have proposed to Diana with a family heirloom or something remarkable and one-of-a-kind given the history and wealth of the Royal family. In actuality, the ring Charles gave to Camilla belonged to a family member and had been handed down through numerous generations.
The fact that Charles chose Diana's engagement ring from Garrard's catalog demonstrates how deeply he cared about his marriage to Diana. In fact, a lot of royal specialists even refer to it as a "commoner's ring." As stated before, it was obvious from the start that Charles wasn’t interested in his marriage with Diana and their marriage was going to end eventually.
Diana grew up in a royal household environment
The persistent worry that she is a "commoner" would be one of the main motivators for Charles and Diana. Diana was raised in a royal family-oriented environment, despite not having any royal ancestry.
Diana was inspired by the royal family and its mannerisms even as a young girl because both of her grandparents served as the Queen's ladies in waiting. In reality, she spent a lot of time on the Queen's estate when she was little, even playing with Prince Edward and Prince Andrew, Charles' younger siblings. Yet she was given unforgivable treatment by the royal family.
Constantly prepared for the camera
Diana was aware that she needed to be vigilant about photographers seeking to capture unflattering images of her. She even invented the idea of "cleavage bags," which were essentially just handbags she would hold near to her bosom when exiting her automobile.
Diana aspired to be known as the "princess of the hearts," and thanks to her charm and presence, she ultimately succeeded in doing so. She was regarded as being significantly more glamorous and stylish. She used to attract the attention of the crowd every time she used to step outside. Therefore, it is quite understandable why Charles wasn't exactly delighted.
Diana's vengeance outfit
Diana and Charles were very different from one another, which is one of the main reasons royal analysts believe their union was doomed from the start. Their dressing sense, their ways of carrying themselves in the public, and every related were different from each other.
Diana continued to turn heads with her great sense of style even if Charles was no longer the dapper guy she had fallen in love with. She even had two wardrobes. It is no surprise that she is still regarded as a style icon today. Even after their divorce was official, she would mock Charles by donning what is now referred to as her "revenge dress."
Going on holiday to Sandringham wasn't fun for her
Getting used to life as a princess is undoubtedly difficult. Diana had been exposed to the royal family while growing up, but she still had a hard time getting used to being watched all the time. The family always spent their vacations at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England.
Diana would frequently go for walks to enjoy some alone time because she felt smothered by the continual presence of visitors and workers. She even complained about how small the apartments were. As the royal family was not used to criticisms and problems, her comment on the rooms was surely not well received by other royal family members.
Charles was reluctant to confess
The explosive interviews Diana and Charles gave about their relationships were among the most extraordinary occasions in royal history. Charles was reluctant to admit he had cheated on Diana with Camilla, even though it was clear their marriage was in trouble by 1994. In fact, his employees had to persuade him to speak out about the relationship.
Interestingly, Charles’s reluctance spurred Diana to conduct her own tell-all interview, which ended their union. The Queen was persuaded by her interview that the two needed to obtain a divorce.
Prior to getting married, they hardly knew one another
While there are many competing ideas about whether Charles felt pressured to wed Diana, the majority of people concur that the two hardly knew one another before getting hitched. Before getting married, the two had only 13 meetings, according to Diana.
The two didn't even spend a lot of time alone together while they were courting, contrary to popular belief that their relationship was more of an attraction-based obsession. Royal specialists have even said that Diana's initial meeting with Charles’s family was more of an audition for the position of a future queen. There was never love between them, at least from Charles’s side.
The first citizen of Britain to wed an heir apparent
The truth is much more interesting than how the royal family used Diana's heritage to shape her into the princess and queen they desired. Diana actually broke a 300-year tradition by becoming the first British citizen to wed the heir to the throne. When he married Queen Elizabeth, Philip, for instance, was a Greek and Danish royal.
In the past, royal unions were only permitted as part of contracts for trade and peace. But the union of Charles and Diana demonstrates that love is now officially recognized as a valid justification for the union. However, this was also proved to be a false assumption by the public.
Their wedding was viewed by 750 million people
Diana needed some time to get used to her new life as the Princess of Wales is not surprising. An already fragile marriage was put under a lot of pressure due to the extensive media coverage and the high expectations that the public had of them.
Some estimates have the number of viewers for what would turn out to be one of the worst royal marriages in modern history at 750 million, coming from 74 different nations. Breaking a marriage that was attended by this many people was indeed difficult. It would’ve been easy if they would be any normal couple.
They spent every last penny on the wedding
The way Charles proposed to Diana by using a "commoner's ring" was one of the most shocking details about their wedding. But when it came to the wedding itself, there were no savings made. In reality, after accounting for inflation since 1981, it is believed that their wedding cost over $135 million, making it one of the most expensive in recent memory.
We can all relate to the immense strain they must have been under, even though they were both aware of the ramifications of being a member of the royal family. The family indeed spent all their money on making the ceremony grand for the couple and also for royal status.
Charles overlooked kissing her
It's understandable that Charles and Diana were under a lot of strain because their marriage was one of the most publicized and extravagant weddings. Charles was actually so anxious that he neglected to kiss her at the altar. Many people think that this is only one of many warning signs that Diana would have to deal with during the course of their marriage.
Thankfully, the couple's famous post-wedding kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace served as the public announcement of their marriage. It might be done to save the blunder done at the altar by Charles but it became a tradition for the royal family from that day onwards. Since then, royal nuptials have done the same.
Divorce is difficult
Divorces are supposed to be cathartic and the beginning of a new adventure, but when you're married to the Prince of Wales, things aren't always straightforward. After her divorce from Charles, Diana would have to spend Christmases alone as her sons used to celebrate Christmas with the royal family.
Diana was left alone while the children spent time at Sandringham House with their father. They always made her meals before leaving since, according to her former coworkers, she was terrible at cooking.
Diana had a lot of issues with her appearance
Diana was annoyed by Camilla's attendance at their wedding and by Charles' quip that Diana needed to lose weight. Many claims that this marked the beginning of a protracted battle with bulimia. The constant comments from Charles had taken a toll on her mind and body both.
Diana claimed that she had never thought of herself as beautiful and had always felt quite insecure about her nose. She even went on a very rigorous diet at her husband's urging and under pressure from the media. She would have her chef prepare healthier versions of her preferred meals. In actuality, tomato mousse was her favorite meal. But she had to give up everything because of the customs of the royal family. In the end, it wasn’t even worth it.
