At the end of August 2017, one of the largest news outlets, the Associated Press, restored footage of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer's wedding. Agency specialists received a 35mm film from the British Movietone News archives. She was the only one to capture the event in the best quality for 1981.
Thirty-six years later, Britons and internationals have been able to watch what is being called the most beautiful wedding of the 20th century.
Engagement of Prince Charles and Diana
Diana Spencer met the Prince when she was sixteen years old, and Charles came to Althorp to hunt. In those days, he met with Diana's older sister, Lady Sarah, but nevertheless showed a serious interest in Diana as a potential bride. The Prince of Wales invited the girl for a weekend in Cowes, on the royal yacht, and then to Balmoral Castle, where he introduced him to hisfamily. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and the Queen Mother received the girl well.
The couple went on several dates in London. About six months later, Prince Charles proposed to Diana his hand and heart. It happened on the third of February 1981 at Windsor Castle. He knew that the girl was planning a vacation in a few days, hoping that at that time she would consider his proposal. Diana Spencer agreed, but the engagement was officially announced only a few weeks later. The girl chose an engagement ring consisting of fourteen diamonds surrounding one blue sapphire.
Wedding of Diana and Charles
The solemn event took place on July 29, 1981 - this day became a national holiday in the UK. The wedding of Diana and Charles took place in St. Paul's Cathedral. There were more seats for guests than Westminster Abbey, and the location made it possible to plan a longer wedding procession through the capital. The wedding ceremony of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was traditionally held, as is customary in English churches.
It is claimed that more than 750 million people watched the procession, and if you take into account the radio audience, then about a billion.
At ten o'clock in the morning, carriages with Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, her husband Prince Philip, close members of the royal family drove through the streets of London. Behind them are Prince Charles and his brother Andrew. And almost half an hour after the start of the procession, a wonderful Glass carriage left with Diana Spencer and her father.
B11:20 the bride's carriage drove up to the cathedral. A little embarrassed, but proud, Diana's father led her to the altar, where her fiancé was already waiting for her. The wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles (photo below) was officiated by Archbishop Robert Rancy. The answers of the newlyweds, many times amplified by the speakers, were heard even by those who were far outside the cathedral.
When Diana spoke the long name of the prince, she mixed up the sequence of consonants and at some point even began to pronounce the name of her father-in-law. And the Prince of Wales, instead of "I promise to share with you everything that belongs to me", said "I promise to share with you everything that belongs to you." Later, when the relationship between Diana and Charles went wrong, the press gave out the unfortunate reservations of the bride and groom almost as prophecies.
Wedding dress and groom's suit
The bride's outfit at the wedding of Diana and Charles was estimated at nine thousand pounds, and in 2017 the cost of the dress increased to twenty-five thousand pounds. It was a layered dress with a puffy neckline and sleeves, embellished with lace and handmade embroidery, rhinestones and lots of pearls. The bride put on a family heirloom - a tiara for the dress.
The prince was in full dress uniform of an officer at the ceremony.
Witnesses, retinue, ring bearers…
At the wedding of Diana and Charles, the suite consisted of seven people. These were the godchildren of the Prince of Wales, the daughter of Princess Margaret, the granddaughter of the Earl of Burma, the granddaughter of the Marquis of Lothian, the great-granddaughter of Churchill and other children of members of the families of monarchs or high lords. Charles's witnesses were the princeEdward and Prince Andrew.
The same reception after the ceremony
After the wedding ceremony of Princess Diana and Prince Charles (her photo can be seen in the article), the newlyweds went to a reception at Buckingham Palace. The wedding breakfast was served for 120 people. For the celebration, 27 cakes were prepared, which took the baker fourteen weeks to make. One wedding cake was prepared by a famous Belgian pastry chef, who was called the “baker for kings.”
Royal guests
At the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles (her date, as already mentioned, - July 29, 1981) was attended by many dignitaries. The Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer honored with their presence:
- King and Queen of Belgium;
- Queen and Prince of Denmark;
- king and heir to the throne of Greece;
- princess of Greece and Denmark;
- heir and successor to the throne of Japan and Jordan;
- Queen Mother of Lesotho;
- Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein;
- Prince and Duchess of Edinburgh;
- princess of Monaco;
- King of Norway and other monarchs, as well as members of the royal family and their relatives.
Charles and Diana's honeymoon
After the wedding of Diana and Charles (photo from the ceremony can be seen in the article), the couple went on a honeymoon trip. Diana and Charles spent their wedding night at the Broadlands estate. After they flew to Gibr altar, from wherewent on a trip to the Mediterranean. The couple spent their honeymoon in Tunisia, Greece, Sardinia, Egypt.
Then they returned to Scotland, where the entire royal family had already gathered at Balmoral Castle. The newlyweds spent some time there. While the royal family was at the estate's hunting lodge, members of the press were given permission to photograph Diana and Charles for newspapers and magazines.
