Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
Date | 29 July 1981[1] |
---|---|
Venue | St Paul's Cathedral |
Location | London, England |
Participants |
|
The wedding of Prince Charles (later
The ceremony was a traditional
Their marriage was widely billed as a "fairytale wedding" and the "wedding of the century". It was watched by an estimated global television audience of 750 million people.[2][3] Events were held around the Commonwealth to mark the wedding. Many street parties were held throughout the United Kingdom to celebrate the occasion. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996 after fifteen years of marriage.
Engagement
Their engagement became official on 24 February 1981,
Two nights before the wedding, a gala ball was held at Buckingham Palace, and the Queen subsequently hosted a dinner for a crowd of 90 individuals.[20] A reception with dancing for 1,500 people was also held. Among the invitees were the royal household's members and staff.[21] The night before the wedding 150 people, including heads of states and governments, were invited for a dinner with the Queen.[21]
In a series of tapes recorded for her 1992 biography, Diana said that she recalled discovering a bracelet which Charles had bought for his longtime lover
Wedding
The wedding took place on 29 July 1981. 3,500 guests made up the congregation at St Paul's Cathedral.[7] Charles and Diana selected St Paul's over Westminster Abbey, the traditional site of royal weddings, because St Paul's offered more seating[9] and permitted a longer procession through London.
The ceremony was a traditional
At 10:22 BST the Queen and the royal family were taken to the cathedral in eight carriages, the Prince of Wales in the
Diana accidentally changed the order of Charles's names during her vows, saying "Philip Charles Arthur George" instead of the correct "Charles Philip Arthur George".
Other church representatives present who gave prayers after the service were a former Archbishop of Canterbury, Donald Coggan, Basil Cardinal Hume, the Right Reverend Andrew Doig and the Reverend Harry Williams CR.[33][29]
Music
Three choirs, three orchestras and a fanfare ensemble played the music for the service. These were the
Clothing
Per the Queen's orders, two similar bouquets were prepared for the bride by David Longman which contained "
Charles wore his full dress naval commander uniform.[44] He also wore stars of the orders of the Garter and the Thistle, the Queen's silver jubilee medal, and "the royal cipher of the Prince of Wales in gold on epaulettes on both shoulders."[21] He carried a "full dress sword tassled in gold."[21]
Attendants
The royal couple had seven bridal attendants. Eleven-year-old
Guests
All of the
Reception
The couple and 120 guests went to Buckingham Palace for a wedding breakfast following the ceremony.[7] Diana and Charles made a traditional appearance on a balcony of Buckingham Palace at 13:10 BST, and delighted the crowd when they kissed,[2][7] initiating the tradition of kissing the bride on the balcony.[47] Over the night, fireworks were displayed above Hyde Park and 100 beacons were lit up across the country to celebrate the royal wedding.[21]
The couple had 27
An estimated 750 million people watched the ceremony worldwide,
Gifts
The couple received gifts from foreign officials, including an engraved
Honeymoon
A "just married" sign was attached to the
See also
- Abduction of Vishal Mehrotra, infamous unsolved abduction of a child that occurred in London on the day of the wedding
- A Royal Wedding Suite
Notes
- ^ The period when the advice was given coincided with a change of government. Traditionally Irish presidents and British royalty did not meet publicly because of the Northern Ireland issue.
References
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i "1981: Charles and Diana marry". On This Day. BBC News. 29 July 1982. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ a b "International Special Report: Princess Diana, 1961–1997". The Washington Post. 30 January 1999. Archived from the original on 19 August 2000. Retrieved 13 October 2008.(registration required)
- ^ "Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's wedding". BBC History. Archived from the original on 21 March 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ "Royal weekend fuels rumours". The Age. 17 November 1980. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2013 – via Google News.
- ^ Dimbleby 1994, p. 279.
- ^ a b c d e f g Jone Johnson Lewis. "Princess Diana's Wedding". ThoughtCo. DotDash. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- ^ Morton 1997, p. 118.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Miller, Julie (17 April 2018). "Inside Princess Diana's Royal Wedding Fairy Tale". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 5 June 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ "Prince Charles' engagement announcements". The Royal Wedding of The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer. BBC One. 12 January 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- ^ Alexander, Ella (28 November 2017). "6 crucial differences between Charles & Diana and Harry & Meghan's engagement interviews". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- ^ Holt, Bethan (24 February 2017). "No gloves and high split skirts: How Princess Diana rewrote the rules of royal dressing". The Telegraph. Telegraph media Group. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ Bowles, Hamish (25 April 2011). "Photos: History of Royal Weddings". Vogue. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Princess Diana's engagement ring". Ringenvy. September 2009. Archived from the original on 4 January 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
- ^ "Queen Mother on 'abhorrent' Diana, Princess of Wales". The Telegraph. London. 17 September 2009. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
- ^ "NPG P218; Diana, Princess of Wales". National Portrait Gallery. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ Berrington, Katie; Roy, Poppy (11 October 2018). "Royal Portraits In Vogue". British Vogue. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "Clayton Howard". The Times. 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2017.(registration required)
- ^ Rippon, Angela (8 November 2020). "Looking back now, my interview with Charles and Diana makes me so sad". The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d Apple Jr, RW (28 July 1981). "Charles and Lady Diana Rehearse the Wedding". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Downie Jr, Leonard (26 July 1981). "The Royal Wedding". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ a b Dockterman, Eliana; Haynes, Suyin (15 November 2020). "The True Story Behind The Crown's Prince Charles, Princess Diana and Camilla Parker Bowles Love Triangle". Time. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Elser, Daniela (26 July 2019). "The moment Diana discovered Prince Charles's love affair with Camilla". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ "Increased security for Charles and Diana's wedding". BBC Midday News. BBC One. 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ Phillips, Mark (27 July 1981). "Policing the 1981 royal wedding". Digital Archives. CBC. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ Lubin, Gus (28 April 2011). "The 12 Most Expensive Weddings In History". Business Insider. Insider. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ "Most expensive weddings of all time". CBS News. 27 May 2013. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ "Command: Regimental Sergeant Major". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 8 April 2011.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g Apple Jr, RW (29 July 1981). "Amid Splendor, Charles Weds Diana". On this Day. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ISBN 0-465-04195-7.
- ^ Proudfoot, Jenny (26 April 2017). "Here's the big mistake that happened on Princess Diana and Prince Charles' wedding day". Marie Claire. TI Media. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- ^ Mulligan, Hugh (25 August 2017). "AP Was There: Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ a b c Royal Wedding[dead link] The Times, 29 July 1981, page 15
- ^ a b Rothstein, Edward (22 July 1981). "Anthem is Composed for Royal Bridal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- ^ "Sir David Willcocks (1919–2015) Musical Director of The Bach Choir for 38 Years". The Bach Choir. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-8386-4023-4. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Shunatona, Brooke (19 May 2018). "4 Ways Meghan Markle's Wedding Hair and Makeup is Totally Different From Princess Diana and Kate's". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
- ^ Stolman, Steven (11 June 2018). "Princess Diana's Personal Hairdresser Shares his Memories of the Late Royal". Town & Country. Hearst Digital Media. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ Vargas, Chanel (7 March 2018). "Every Detail About Princess Diana's Iconic Wedding Dress". Town & Country. Hearst Digital Media. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
- ^ a b Hill, Erin (29 July 2018). "All About Princess Diana's Wedding Day Perfume — and How She Accidentally Spilled It on Her Dress!". People. Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- ^ "Royal Wedding Dresses throughout history". UK Royal Family. 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ Proudfoot, Jenny (2 May 2018). "This is why the Queen made Princess Diana have two wedding bouquets". Marie Claire. TI Media. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d Downie Jr., Leonard (29 July 1981). "Britain Celebrates, Charles Takes a Bride". Washington Post. p. A01. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2013.(registration required)
- ^ Perry, Simon (3 May 2018). "The Surprising Link Between Harry and Meghan's Royal Wedding and Charles and Diana's". People. Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- ^ Apple Jr, RW (25 July 1981). "Prince's Guest List embraces Kings and Charwomen". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ a b Moss, Hilary (29 April 2011). "A Look Back At Princess Diana & Prince Charles' Wedding". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
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- ^ Goldman, Leah (29 April 2011). "Flashback: Diana's Wedding Was Four Times As Expensive, And Her Train Was 17-Feet Longer". Business Insider. Insider. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
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- Time. Archivedfrom the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- ^ Guy, Jack (12 August 2021). "Slice of Charles and Diana's 1981 wedding cake sells for 'unexpected' price". CNN. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d "The Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer". BBC. 29 July 1981. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ISBN 9780273646037. Archivedfrom the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ Soames, Emma (3 December 2017). "From The Archive: Remembering The Prince Of Wales And Lady Diana Spencer's Wedding". British Vogue. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ^ a b Bates, Stephen (24 April 2011). "'The stuff of fairytales': royal wedding celebrations 30 years ago". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- ^ "Scotland celebrates as Prince Charles marries Diana". BBC Midday News. BBC One. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
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- ^ Fraser, Katie (6 April 2011). "Royal wedding: Why so few street parties?". BBC. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
Although the figures are hard to come by, the Daily Telegraph recently said there were 10 million street party-goers in 1981 for Charles and Diana's wedding.
- ^ "Translators prepare for Prince Charles' wedding coverage". BBC News. 10 January 2011. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ a b c d Goodman, Susan (27 July 1981). "Royal Wedding Gifts: Extraordinary and Ordinary Diana". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Charles and Diana's Short Honeymoon". Los Angeles Times. 1 July 1992. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ Rose, Hilary (9 November 2020). "The Crown: why Charles and Camilla may not be amused". The Times. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
Bibliography
- Dimbleby, Jonathan (1994). The Prince of Wales: A Biography. New York: William Morrow and Company. ISBN 0-688-12996-X.
- Morton, Andrew (1997) [1992]. Diana: Her True Story – In Her Own Words. New York: ISBN 0-684-85080-X.
External links
- Order of Service for the wedding
- "Wedding of Charles and Diana". Times Online. Times Newspapers. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009.
- The Royal Wedding Cakes Classic Celebration Cakes