The wedding of Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles remains one of the most memorable events in royal history. The interesting thing is that behind the fairytale image that went around the world on July 29, 1981, there were several details that very few people knew about.
According to astrologer Penny Thornton, Diana even confessed that the night before, Charles had told her he wasn’t in love with her. Even so, the ceremony went ahead, and according to biographer Ingrid Seward, her father reportedly influenced the decision not to cancel the wedding.
Diana’s dress also held several stories. Before heading to St. Paul’s Cathedral, she accidentally spilled a few drops of her favorite perfume, Quelques Fleurs, onto the fabric. Her makeup artist suggested covering the stain by holding that part of the dress as if she were simply trying to avoid stepping on it. Additionally, the stunning design featured a train nearly eight meters long, which posed quite a challenge for the girls tasked with managing it throughout the procession.
There were other details that went unnoticed by those watching the ceremony from home. The dress concealed a small good-luck charm in the shape of a horseshoe, crafted from 18-carat gold and adorned with white diamonds.
Two identical bouquets of flowers were also prepared to prevent any unforeseen issues, a tradition inspired by Queen Elizabeth II’s experience on her own wedding day.
Diana also omitted the word “obey” from her marriage vows, a decision that Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle would follow years later.
Another fact that has always struck me is that Camila attended the wedding as a guest, despite the romantic history that already existed between her and Charles. Over time, that relationship ended up forever changing the course of the British monarchy.
Looking back, it’s impossible not to think that this historic union held many signs that the real story would be vastly different from the fairy tale millions of people believed they were witnessing.