THE DIANA YEARS

When Charles found a dazzling bride, it wasn't the fairytale the world imagined

It was "the stuff fairytales are made of", proclaimed Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury. The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981 was one of the most magical royal occasions of the 20th century, with the pomp and pageantry watched by a global audience of more than 750 million people.

There was much relief that the bachelor Prince of Wales had finally chosen a bride and great delight that it was the beautiful Diana, the earl's daughter who had been working as a kindergarten teacher when the news broke of her relationship with Charles.

She was clearly besotted with the man she saw as her Prince Charming, however a comment her fiancé made during an interview after their engagement was officially announced suggested that maybe he didn't feel the same. When a journalist asked if they were in love, Diana replied, "Of course." And Charles muttered, "Whatever in love means."

At the time, the bride-to-be laughed off the comment, but years later she would admit that his "strange response traumatised me".

In fact, Charles - who remained close to his ex Camilla Parker Bowles - felt he had no choice but to take Diana, 12 years his junior, as his bride, even though he barely knew her. They met on just 13 occasions before their wedding day, it was later revealed.