Princess Diana was loved by many because of her approachable manner, making her and Prince Charles a very popular royal couple. But just like any other regular marriages, the Prince and Princess of Wales had marital problems as well. Unfortunately, they didn’t get to fix the issue and the parents of Prince William and Prince Harry ended in divorce.
In 1994, Prince Charles shocked the world when he admitted that he was unfaithful to Princess Diana. The Prince of Wales was having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, whom he had a relationship with before getting engaged to the People’s Princess.
After learning her husband’s “disastrous” interview with Jonathan Dimbleby, Princess Diana decided to take advantage of the situation. “The reputation of the monarchy was once again dragged through the mire. But there was more to come,” royal biographer Penny Junor wrote in her book, “The Firm.”
In 1995, Princess Diana “invited the television journalist Martin Bashir into Kensington Palace, who interviewed her for "Panorama” and revealed what she felt about Prince Charles’ infidelity. “Sitting demurely with head bowed, and looking up through kohl-darkened eyes, stopping only to wipe the occasional tear that welled, she eviscerated her errant husband and his frigid family with the skill of a samurai,” Juror wrote.
It was also during this interview when Princess Diana said her infamous line, which reportedly made Queen Elizabeth realize that she had enough. The Princess of Wales told Martin Bashir: “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was quite crowded” — Her Majesty didn’t like that revelation.
Queen Elizabeth would love to avoid any controversy as much as she can. But, Prince Charles' infidelity was certainly a huge scandal, and Her Majesty probably wanted to make it yesterday’s news as soon as possible.
However, Princess Diana’s decision to drag the story into another interview shocked Queen Elizabeth, especially because the Princess of Wales didn’t say what she was going to reveal in the interview. “The Queen had seen and heard enough. She and her advisers, like the Prince of Wales and his, were taken entirely by surprise. Not even the princess’s private secretary knows what she was about to spring on the world,” Juror wrote.
In February 1996, Princess Diana announced her separation from Prince Charles. Six months later, their divorce was finalized.
