In the lead-up to what was hailed as the grandest royal wedding of its time, Princess Diana, in a candid interview, revealed a heart-wrenching truth: she almost called off her wedding to Prince Charles. The world watched in awe as Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer exchanged vows at St Paul's Cathedral on July 29, 1981. Yet, behind the fairy tale facade lay a series of events that nearly derailed the royal union.
Diana's revelations, part of a series of archive recordings released by the National Geographic to commemorate the anniversary of her death on August 31, 1997, shed light on her tumultuous relationship with Charles. In one particularly poignant segment, Diana recalls the moment she became painfully aware of her fiancé's ongoing affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. This realization dawned on her just before Charles was set to embark on a five-week tour in March 1981. Contrary to popular belief, Diana's tears as Charles boarded the plane were not out of sadness for his departure. Instead, they were a manifestation of the heartbreak she felt after overhearing a phone conversation between Charles and Camilla.
Diana recounted the incident, stating, "You may recall seeing a picture of me sobbing in a red coat when he went off on his aeroplane. That had nothing to do with him going. The most awful thing had happened before he went. I was in his study talking to him about his trip. The telephone rang, it was Camilla. Just before he was going for five weeks. So I thought, 'Shall I be nice or shall I just sit here?' So I thought I'd be nice, so I left them to it and it just broke my heart."
Further adding to her distress, Diana discovered that Charles had commissioned a special bracelet for Camilla. The discovery was accidental, and the realization was, in Diana's words, "devastating." She confronted Charles, but his response was cold and dismissive.
These painful episodes pushed Diana to the brink, making her seriously reconsider the impending nuptials. She recalled, "I went upstairs, had lunch with my sisters who were there. And I said 'I can't marry him, I can't do this, this is absolutely unbelievable.'" However, her sisters, in a bid to lighten the mood, humorously pointed out that her face was already on commemorative tea towels, implying it was too late to back out.
Despite her reservations, Diana did go through with the wedding. However, the couple's marital woes persisted, culminating in their divorce in 1996, a decision influenced by letters from the Queen advising them to part ways. The divorce was finalized on August 28, 1996.
This revelation provides a somber backdrop to what the world perceived as a fairy tale romance, underscoring the complexities and challenges that often lurk behind the public image of royal life.
