Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles (now known as King Charles III) in July 1981. The wedding was lavish, as expected, but the couple already had issues, which would continue for the next 15 years. Diana was aware that Charles still wasn’t over his first love, Camilla Parker Bowles, with whom he continued an illicit affair throughout his marriage to Princess Diana.
Charles disclosed to Diana the day before they got married that he wasn’t in love with her, so it’s no wonder the marriage didn’t work out. In addition, the scrutiny of the public and the oppressive presence of royal duties added to the stress. Diana often appeared upset during public appearances, and Charles made awkward jokes, worsening the tension. Here are the most unforgettable interactions between Diana and Charles over the years.
1. Charles avoided saying he was in love with Diana
In a 1981 video announcing their engagement, Charles joked about Diana being willing to marry him, saying he was impressed by her bravery. Then, when the interviewer brought up the fact that they must be in love, Diana was quick with a positive response while Charles fumbled the answer, saying, “Whatever “in love” means.” Diana’s reaction was visibly confused and pained, and she later said in interviews that the moment “traumatized” her.
2. A tearful goodbye, but no happy tears
When the newly engaged Diana said goodbye to Charles, who was leaving for New Zealand and Australia for royal engagements, she wasn’t crying because she would miss him. Instead, it was because when she discussed the upcoming trip with her beau, he took a phone call from Camilla, and Diana was agitated by this news.
3. Princess Diana looked nervous at her wedding
It’s normal for a bride to get cold feet before getting married, but Diana’s scared disposition at her nuptials was palpable. TikTok users who saw clips from the event said that they could tell she thought marrying Charles was a mistake, and true enough, years after, the late Diana admitted that she thought about canceling the wedding after she learned about Charles’ ongoing affair with Camilla. But her family calmed her nerves, and she was about to get through the moment.
4. A facial reaction when Charles made a speech
The second time King Charles visited Australia, the two were married, and Princess Diana accompanied him. In his speech, he called himself “lucky enough to marry her,” but the crowd laughed when Diana made a face that showed she didn’t think they were so lucky to be married. Charles made a comment saying, “Amazing what ladies do when your back is turned,” which is ironic considering what he did behind her back!
5. She had an emotional breakdown in front of the public in Sydney
That wasn’t the only awkward moment on the 1983 Australian tour. When the Princess of Wales stood before a large crowd by the Sydney Opera House, she burst into tears, which a photographer captured. The photographer who took the shot said it was due to tension that the public wanted to see Diana, not Charles. In the photo, Charles looked away and ignored his wife’s anguish.
6. That time, Charles joked that he was meant to have two wives
When speaking to a crowd during the same tour in 1983, Charles made a startling joke, saying, “I’ve come to the conclusion that really it would have been far easier to have two wives to have covered both sides of the street. And I could have walked down the middle directing the operation.”
Diana appeared quite uncomfortable with the comment, despite its intended reference to her popularity on tour. Years later, she admitted that Charles was jealous of her popularity.
7. He was upset when she danced with John Travolta
On a 1985 visit to the White House, Diana danced with John Travolta. She had a smile on her face as he twirled her around. While the photos gained traction due to the star power of both of them (Travolta was quite the A-lister at the time), Charles was once again upset that the spotlight was off him and, when asked about it in a press conference, made the rude comment that “She would be an idiot if she didn’t enjoy dancing with John Travolta, wouldn’t she?
8. They disagreed during an interview
In interviews, presenting a united front is important, but Diana couldn’t fake it during her chat with Alastair Burnet of ITN. When the journalist asked the couple about their marriage and experiences thus far, he brought up a disagreement that occurred during a ski trip. While Charles was ready to admit that they argued, Diana quickly said they didn’t argue, which turned into a back-and-forth. A moment of bickering about whether they did or didn’t bicker in the relationship was quite uncomfortable!
9. Forced PDA between Charles and Diana
It was rare to see Princess Di and King Charles show affection for each other publicly. Several video montages on TikTok show that their body language only gets more formal with each other over the years. In a video from 1992, Diana moved away so that Charles kissed the side of her face rather than her cheeks or lips, which some refer to as a “miss kiss.”
10. The couple seemed especially unhappy on a South Korea trip
Though they looked miserable together, the couple still had to fulfill their royal duties. But the reality of their troubled marriage started to seep through during royal tours and events. In South Korea, reporters dubbed the couple “The Glums” because it looked like they hated each other’s presence. Months later, they announced their separation to the public.