As Prince Charles becomes King Charles III following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, many eyes have turned to the new monarch’s past.
While his wife of 17 years Camilla will now become Queen Consort , many will remember his first marriage to Princess Diana, the mother of his sons Prince William and Prince Harry.
It’s been 41 years since the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles cemented its place in 80s television history, with over 750 million people in 74 different countries tuning in to watch the event.
The historic ceremony has never been forgotten, and has been back in the spotlight recently, with Diana’s iconic dress recently unveiled to the public at Kensington Palace. A statue of the late Princess was also revealed earlier this month on what would have been her 60th birthday.
So, when was their wedding, how old were Diana and Charles when they tied the royal knot, and how long were they together?
Find the key dates here.
When did Princess Diana and Charles get married?
Princess Diana got married to Prince Charles on Wednesday, July 29, 1981.
Diana, then titled Lady Diana Spencer, was 20 years old when she walked down the aisle at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Upon the marriage, she became Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, Duchess of Rothesay, Duchess of Cornwall, Countess of Chester and Baroness of Renfrew.
Prince Charles was 32 when he married Diana, meaning there was a 12-year age gap between them.
They first met properly four years earlier in 1977, when the Prince was in a relationship with Sarah Spencer, Diana’s older sister.
They dated for six months before announcing their engagement on Tuesday, February 24, 1981.
How long were Prince Charles and Princess Diana together?
During the marriage, Princess Diana and Prince Charles welcomed two sons.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was born on Monday, June 21, 1982 – 11 months after the wedding took place.
And Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was born on Saturday, September 15, 1984.
The marriage breakdown began to be widely reported five years in, around 1987. Their separation was announced years later in 1992.
Charles and Diana remained separated for several years. It was widely-believed that Diana, Princess of Wales’s interview with BBC Panorama ‘triggered’ an official divorce.
The now-discredited interview, conducted by Martin Bashir, took place on Monday, November 20, 1995.
Their intent to divorce was announced on Wednesday, December 20, 1995, and their divorce decree was made final and absolute on Monday, August 26, 1996.
Upon her divorce, Diana was stripped of her Her Royal Highness style and was officially titled as Diana, Princess of Wales.
Tragically, the Princess was killed just aged 36 in a car crash in Paris, France, on Sunday, August 31, 1997.
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