Why Princess Diana And Prince Charles' Marriage Was Destined To Fail

Looking back, it’s clear that the marriage between Princess Diana and Prince Charles was always on shaky ground. From the start, they seemed like two people heading in opposite directions. There was a 13-year age gap, but that wasn’t the only challenge. They had almost nothing in common. Charles, the emotionally reserved prince, loved heavy philosophy books and spending time in the countryside. Diana, on the other hand, was all about expressing her heart openly. She loved grooving to Duran Duran and wasn’t a fan of horseback riding. These differences were just the tip of the iceberg.

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The Early Warning Signs

Even before the wedding bells rang, there were warning signs that this marriage might not last. Charles was still deeply involved with Camilla Parker Bowles when he announced his engagement to Diana. Diana, though, was hopeful. She wanted the marriage to work more than anything. “I desperately wanted it to succeed,” she once confided to biographer Andrew Morton. “I wanted to share everything together.” But despite her best efforts, the cracks were already forming.

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Behind Closed Doors

By the time Diana welcomed William in 1982 and Harry in 1984, the marriage was already unraveling. Behind the scenes, things weren’t looking good. By the mid-1980s, Diana’s weight had dropped dramatically, and she later admitted to struggling with bulimia. In 1985, Diana’s public appearances outnumbered Charles’ for the first time, and it was clear he wasn’t comfortable with her growing fame. Things were only getting worse.

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The Affair That Changed Everything

By 1987, Diana had secretly begun an affair with Captain James Hewitt, a handsome riding instructor. Meanwhile, Charles was openly seeing Camilla within his social circle. By the early 1990s, the cracks in their marriage were impossible to ignore. Former press officer Dickie Arbiter revealed in his book On Duty With the Queen that their living arrangements hinted at a deep rift. Diana spent most of her time at Kensington Palace, while Charles was often found at Highgrove, more than 100 miles away.

The Breaking Point

In February 1992, during an official tour of India, Charles and Diana couldn’t hide their animosity. At a polo match in Jaipur, Diana publicly refused to kiss Charles, much to the dismay of the watching press. “I’m not about to pander to him,” she reportedly told her royal protection officer, Ken Wharfe. “If he wants to make a fool out of me with that woman, he deserves it.” Later, Diana was photographed alone at the Taj Mahal, a symbol of love, further telegraphing the state of their crumbling marriage.

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Things came to a head in May 1992 with the publication of Andrew Morton’s explosive book, Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words. After an awkward pre-arranged tour of Korea in November 1992, British Prime Minister John Major announced the couple’s official separation on December 9, 1992.