The heir to the English throne, Charles, Prince of Wales, has been married twice. The first marriage with Diana Spencer was called "the wedding of the century", the celebration resembled a fairy tale and was broadcast on all television channels. The second event was much more modest, but it was of great importance for the participants, because this time the prince really married for love.
Charles and Diana: a beautiful tale
The Prince of Wales did not think about marriage for a long time, which greatly worried Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The continuation of the family was required, besides, the heir needed a spouse to perform representative functions. A number of requirements were presented to the future princess: she must be young, healthy, and of aristocratic origin. And most importantly, the absence of a scandalous past that could ruin the reputation of the British royal house.
All relatives joined in the search for a wife for the heir. At that time, Charles had a strong relationship with Camilla Shand. The girl was an aristocrat, but her reputation left much to be desired. This candidacy categorically did not suit the queen. As a result, the heir was introduced to the young Diana Spencer, an eighteen-year-old aristocrat whose grandmother was the best friend of Elizabeth's mother, the Queen Mother. Diana came from an ancient noble, although not rich family, was beautiful, modest, innocent. The prince liked her, although there was no ardent passion: Charles still loved only Camilla.
Obeying a sense of duty, the heir proposed to Diana just a few months after they met. To his deep surprise, the girl accepted him without hesitation. The wedding was scheduled for the end of July 1981 and was meant to be a truly epic event.
Wedding of the century: details
The official ceremony took place on 29 July at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. About 3500 guests were invited, including representatives of the royal houses of Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Nepal, Jordan. A multitude of Londoners and tourists gathered in the streets along the route of the wedding cortege. The wedding was broadcast by several English and foreign channels, according to general estimates, the "wedding of the century" could be seen by more than 750 million TV viewers.
According to statistics, the crown prince's wedding was the most expensive in British history. Almost 3 million British pounds were spent on it. However, the interest in the event was so great that it allowed travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops to make good money. Today, items with wedding symbols can be purchased at auctions and are not cheap.
The main intrigue for the public was the image of the bride. Diana fully met expectations, playing the role of a fairy-tale princess. The sumptuous silk taffeta dress cost £ 9,000 and was designed by British designers Elizabeth and David Emmanuel, in full accordance with the tastes of the bride. The outfit was decorated with lace flounces, hand embroidery, pearls and rhinestones, the main attraction was the twenty-five-meter train. The bride's head was crowned with the Spencer family tiara holding the veil. The outfit was complemented by a huge bouquet of roses, orange blossom and garden flowers. Charles donned the dress uniform of a naval commander and looked very personable.
The event began with a solemn drive through the streets in an open carriage. The newlyweds were accompanied by Prince Andrew, Charles' brother. Viewers were able to see the entire royal family heading for the ceremony at the cathedral. Diana was led to the altar by her father, the bride's train was carried by three bridesmaids, the procession was complemented by kids in snow-white outfits: pages and flower girls, traditional for English weddings. After the wedding, the couple went to the balcony to greet, it was here that one of the most famous photographs was taken, capturing the first kiss of the royal couple. At the end of the day, a gala banquet took place at Buckingham Palace.
Second marriage: restraint and style
After the death of Diana, Charles firmly decided to join his fate with the one that he continued to love all the years of an unsuccessful marriage. He faced a difficult path: he had to endure the mourning befitting the occasion, and then convince the parents and grown-up sons of the correctness of his decision. It took patience, tact, and tremendous endurance. It was also important to get the approval of the people, who believe that her husband and Camilla were to blame for the death of the adored Diana.
Long years of waiting ended with a modest civil ceremony. Charles and Camilla were married in April 2005 at Windsor Castle Chapel. The newlyweds were not young, besides, each of them had a divorce behind them. The couple was blessed by the Bishop of Canterbury, only the closest were present at the celebration. It is noteworthy that the wedding was attended by Princes William and Harry, who approved the decision of their father and warmly received their stepmother.
The wedding was not televised, but many news stories were filmed. The audience noted the bride's elegant outfit: a soft blue satin dress, a light matching taffeta coat, decorated with golden embroidery, and an unusual headdress with pheasant feathers. The costume fully corresponded to the nature of the event, emphasized Camilla's style and status and was in perfect harmony with Charles's business card.
After the wedding, the bride was entitled to all her husband's titles and became the new Princess of Wales. However, Camilla prefers to be called the Duchess of Cornwall in order to avoid unnecessary associations and not shock the public.
