Today marks 41 years – July 29 – since the wedding of princess Diana and Prince Charles confirmed its place in 1980s television history, with more than 750 million people in 74 different countries tuning in to the event.
The historic ceremony has never been forgotten and has recently returned to the spotlight, with Diana’s iconic dress was recently unveiled to the public Bee 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 most important dates here.
When did Princess Diana marry Prince Charles?
Princess Diana married Prince Charles on Wednesday, July 29, 1981.
Diana, then called Lady Diana Spencer, was 20 years old when she walked down the aisle of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
After 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 difference between them.
They met four years earlier, in 1977, when the prince was dating 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 Cambridgewas born on Monday, June 21, 1982 – 11 months after the wedding took place.
And Prince Harry, Duke of Sussexwas born on Saturday September 15, 1984.
The breakup of the marriage began to become widely known five years in, around 1987. Their divorce was announced years later, in 1992.
Charles and Diana remained separated for several years. It was generally believed that Diana, Princess of Wales’s interview with BBC Panorama an official divorce ‘provoked’.
The now discredited interview, conducted by Martin Bashir, took place on Monday, November 20, 1995.
Their intention to divorce was announced on Wednesday, December 20, 1995, and their… divorce agreement 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 given the title Diana, Princess of Wales.
Tragically, on Sunday, August 31, 1997, at the age of 36, the princess died in a car accident in Paris, France.
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