Deborah Chan
Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding was a grand affair, with a global television audience of 750 million people. The couple's relationship, however, was far from a fairytale. They first met in 1977 when Charles was dating Diana's elder sister, Lady Sarah. In 1980, Charles took a serious interest in Diana as a potential bride, and their courtship began with a sailing weekend and an invitation to meet his family. Diana accepted Charles' proposal in February 1981, and their engagement was officially announced in March. However, even at the beginning, Diana had her doubts about the marriage. Despite her reservations, the couple went ahead with the wedding on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul's Cathedral.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Wedding | 29 July 1981 |
| Date of Engagement | 6 February 1981 |
| Date of Official Engagement Announcement | 24 February 1981 |
| Date of First Meeting | November 1977 |
| Date of Separation | 1992 |
| Date of Divorce | 1996 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Charles and Diana's first meeting
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer first met in 1977 when Charles was dating Diana's older sister, Lady Sarah. At the time, Diana was only 16 years old, while Charles was 29. The first meeting took place at the Spencer family home in Althorp, during a shooting party hosted by Diana's sister. Diana recalled in private tapes that Charles approached her and asked her to show him the gallery. She was amazed and flattered by the attention, wondering why someone like him would be interested in her.
After this initial encounter, Diana and Charles didn't see much of each other for about two years, except for a brief encounter at Charles's 30th birthday party, to which both Spencer sisters were invited. It was in 1980, three years after their first meeting, that Charles began to show a serious interest in Diana as a potential bride. This renewed interest sparked during a weekend in the country, where Diana watched Charles play polo. Following this, he invited her on a sailing weekend to Cowes aboard the royal yacht Britannia, marking the beginning of their relationship.
Their relationship progressed with an invitation to Balmoral Castle, the Royal family's Scottish home, where Diana met and was well-received by Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The couple then had several dates in London, and Charles proposed to Diana on February 6, 1981, at Windsor Castle. Their engagement was kept secret for two and a half weeks before becoming official on February 24, 1981.
The Ideal Time Gap Between Proposal and Wedding
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Their engagement
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's engagement was announced on 24 February 1981, and the couple married on 29 July 1981. However, Charles proposed on 6 February 1981 at Windsor Castle, and their engagement was kept secret for two and a half weeks.
The couple first met in 1977 when Charles was dating Diana's elder sister, Lady Sarah. Diana, who was 16 at the time, was introduced to Charles, then 29, during a grouse hunt at the Spencer family home. Their relationship progressed when Charles invited Diana on a sailing weekend to Cowes aboard the royal yacht Britannia. This was followed by an invitation to Balmoral Castle, the royal family's Scottish home, where Diana met the Queen, the Queen Mother, and the Duke of Edinburgh, who all received her well.
Diana later revealed that she had doubts about the marriage before it took place, especially after she heard a telephone conversation between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. She even considered calling off the wedding, but her sisters convinced her otherwise. Despite her doubts, Diana accepted Charles's proposal right away, and the couple gave the appearance of soon-to-be-wedded bliss.
Expressing Gratitude: Timely Thank-Yous for Your Wedding Gifts
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![Royal Wedding [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51D0DS0A6ZL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The wedding ceremony
The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer took place on Wednesday, 29 July 1981, at St Paul's Cathedral in London, United Kingdom. The ceremony was a traditional Church of England wedding service, presided over by The Most Reverend Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, and The Very Reverend Alan Webster, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral.
The couple selected St Paul's Cathedral over Westminster Abbey, the traditional site of royal weddings, because St Paul's offered more seating and permitted a longer procession through London. The ceremony was attended by 3,500 guests, including members of other royal families, republican heads of state, and members of the bride's and groom's families. The groom was the heir apparent to the British throne, and the bride was a member of the Spencer family.
Lady Diana arrived at the cathedral in the Glass Coach with her father, John Spencer, escorted by six mounted Metropolitan Police officers. She was almost on time for the 11:20 BST ceremony. As the orchestra played Trumpet Voluntary, an anthem by Jeremiah Clarke, Diana made the three-and-a-half-minute walk up the aisle.
Diana's wedding dress featured antique lace "made with a fabric spun at a British silk farm", the Spencer family tiara, and her mother's earrings. The official parfumeur of the royal wedding was Houbigant Parfum, and Diana chose the floral scent Quelques Fleurs, which featured "notes of tuberose, jasmine and rose".
During the ceremony, Diana accidentally changed the order of Charles's names during her vows, saying "Philip Charles Arthur George" instead of the correct "Charles Philip Arthur George". She also chose to omit the word "obey" from her vows, which caused a sensation at the time. Charles also made an error, saying he would offer her "thy goods" instead of "my worldly goods". Following the ceremony, the couple made the traditional appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where they shared a kiss.
The Perfect Length for a Wedding Sundress
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Honeymoon period
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's wedding took place on the 29th of July 1981. The couple first met in 1977 while Charles was dating Diana's elder sister, Lady Sarah. Charles took a serious interest in Diana as a potential bride in 1980 when they were guests at a country weekend. Their relationship progressed when he invited her aboard the royal yacht Britannia for a sailing weekend to Cowes, followed by an invitation to Balmoral Castle to meet his family. Diana was well-received by the Queen, the Queen Mother, and the Duke of Edinburgh. Charles subsequently courted Diana in London, and they had several dates in the city. On the 6th of February 1981, he proposed to her at Windsor Castle, and she accepted. Their engagement was kept secret for about two and a half weeks before becoming official on the 24th of February 1981.
The term "honeymoon period" is often used to describe the early stages of a relationship, a job, or even a government's term, and it is marked by intense feelings of excitement, happiness, and infatuation. This period is characterised by a rush of "feel-good" brain chemicals and hormones, creating a dreamy, exciting, and addictive atmosphere. During this time, everything seems new and fresh, and any issues or disagreements are less frequent or less impactful.
In the context of relationships, the honeymoon period is a time when couples are still getting to know each other and have not yet experienced significant challenges or hurts. It is a time of intense romance and passion, where couples are deeply interested in each other and want to spend as much time together as possible. They overlook each other's faults and focus on the positive aspects of the relationship.
The honeymoon period in a relationship usually occurs during the initial stages of courtship and can last anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. However, it is not static, and couples may experience multiple honeymoon periods throughout their relationship as they navigate different stages of life together.
The honeymoon period is not just limited to romantic relationships. It can also be applied to other areas of life, such as a "job honeymoon," where an employee is excited about their new role, eager to learn, and motivated to showcase their skills and productivity. Similarly, in politics, a new government or leader may experience a honeymoon period with the press and public, enjoying a period of popularity and goodwill.
Creating Wedding Albums: The Post-Wedding Timeline
You may want to see also
Marital issues and divorce
Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding took place on the 29th of July 1981, at St Paul's Cathedral. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, after 15 years of marriage.
The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was troubled, with issues arising from the very beginning of their union. Before their wedding, Diana had already discovered a bracelet that Charles had bought for his longtime lover, Camilla Parker Bowles. Despite her suspicions, Diana went ahead with the wedding, urged by her sisters.
In March 1981, shortly after their engagement, Diana was left disturbed after overhearing a phone conversation between Charles and Camilla. This incident led to Diana being spotted crying at Heathrow Airport as Charles departed for a trip to Australia and New Zealand.
The issues in their marriage became more public in 1987, when Diana did not join Charles on the family's annual summer trip to Balmoral. The press began to report on their unhappiness and distant attitude towards each other, dubbing them "the Glums". During a birthday party for Camilla's sister in 1989, Diana confronted Camilla about her and Charles's extramarital affair.
In 1991, Diana participated in secret interviews with James Colthurst, in which she discussed her marital issues and difficulties. These recordings were later used as a source for the book "Diana: Her True Story" by Andrew Morton, published in 1992. The book caused a media storm as it exposed Charles's affair with Camilla and revealed Diana's allegedly suicidal unhappiness.
In 1993, Diana wrote to her butler, Paul Burrell, expressing her belief that Charles was in love with his personal assistant, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, and even planning to have her killed to marry Tiggy. These suspicions were denied by Charles in a televised interview in 1994, where he claimed to have rekindled his relationship with Camilla only after his marriage to Diana had broken down.
In 1995, Diana famously told the BBC, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," referring to Camilla Parker Bowles. This interview proved to be the tipping point, and in December 1995, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen had sent letters to Charles and Diana, advising them to divorce. The divorce was finalised in August 1996, with Diana receiving a significant financial settlement but losing her "Her Royal Highness" status.
When to File Marriage License Post-Wedding
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Charles and Diana got engaged on February 6, 1981, at Windsor Castle. They had known each other for a few years, with Diana first catching Charles's eye in 1980 when they were guests at a country weekend.
Their engagement was kept secret for two and a half weeks and was made official on February 24, 1981. They got married on July 29, 1981, which means their engagement lasted for about five months.
Charles and Diana dated for less than a year before their wedding. They first met in 1977 when Charles was dating Diana's sister, Sarah. However, it wasn't until 1980 that Charles took a serious interest in Diana as a potential bride.
Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, so they were married for about 15 years.
