The fairy tale that was once the relationship of the now King Charles III with Princess Diana had a sad ending and is still remembered today.
The couple met in 1977, when Lady Diana was 16 and the heir to the throne was 29. They were married four years later, in 1981, starting one of the most closely followed marriages in British and world history.
The following year, the Princess of Wales gave birth to Prince William and, two years later, Prince Harry.
In the midst of a troubled relationship and after several controversies, Charles and Diana separated in 1992, but the divorce was only signed four years later, in 1996.
Both admitted that they committed adultery. Diana confirmed the infidelities – practiced by the two – in a bombshell interview she gave to the “BBC” in 1995. “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a little tumultuous.” The scandal was one of the biggest for the British Crown in the last 100 years.
In an interview prior to the separation, then Prince Charles even said that he never loved his wife.
One of the central plot points was Charles’ long-standing extramarital affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, now queen consort. The princess herself stressed Camilla’s guilt for what happened to their relationship.
He reportedly met his current wife at a polo match in Windsor in 1970 and they became friends. The following year Charles joined the Royal Navy, and while he was away Camilla married Cavalry Officer Andrew Parker Bowles. The couple had two children during the 1970s. Camilla was divorced in 1995.
Faced with the popularity of Lady Di, known as the “princess of the people”, Camilla began to be portrayed by the media as the most hated woman in Great Britain.
In 1997, Diana died in a car accident in Paris. The driver was driving at high speed to escape photographers who were chasing her, when she lost control in a tunnel. At the time, she was with her boyfriend, the Egyptian Dodi Al Fayed, who also died after the collision.
Years after the divorces, Charles and Camilla finally got married, in 2005. The new royal made it clear that she intended to be known in the future only as “princess consort”, despite having the right to the title of queen.
The gesture was seen as recognition of the sensitivity surrounding a title that was intended for Diana.
However, in February this year, during the celebration of the Platinum Jubilee, which marked 70 years of the reign of Elizabeth II, the Queen gave the blessing for Camilla to someday become “queen consort”.
“When, in due course, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support you have given me,” Elizabeth II wrote in a message.
*With information from CNN’s Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Max Foster, Renata Souza and Xiaofei Xu
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
