Rarely Seen Images From Charles And Diana's Wedding
When Charles and Diana tied the knot in 1981, their nuptials were dubbed the "wedding of the century." According to the BBC, the wedding would go down as one of the most-watched broadcasts in history. But as we all know, much of the drama that happened that day occurred behind the scenes. As a result, these rare images from the "wedding of the century" have an all-new meaning over 40 years later, now that Charles is King.
Charles left a note for Diana before the wedding
Not everything between Charles and Diana was disastrous as they prepared for their wedding. According to Time magazine, the prince actually left a note for his bride-to-be before the event, and it was surprisingly heartfelt. "I'm so proud of you," Charles wrote. "And when you come up I'll be there at the altar for you tomorrow." Charles also suggested how best to make it through the big day: “Just look 'em in the eye and knock 'em dead.”
Packed like sardines
Diana arrived at the wedding accompanied by her father, Earl Spencer. They traveled to St. Paul’s Cathedral in the historic Glass Coach, which was the same coach that carried Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip when they were newlyweds. The coach was barely big enough to accommodate Diana, her father, and the bride’s humongous gown. And since the wedding was at St. Paul's and not Westminster Abbey, Diana and her father were packed inside the coach like sardines as it slowly wound its way through London. Nevertheless, Diana looked happy as she waved and smiled at the crowd.
Her shoes had a hidden message
No one was supposed to see the bottom of Diana’s shoes on her wedding day, but that didn’t stop her designer from prettying them up. The man responsible, Clive Shilton, decorated the suede shoes with an adorable heart detail made from delicate lace. The shoes were also encrusted with approximately 132 pearls and 542 sequins — shoes fit for a princess, no? The creme de la creme, however, was the hidden message: the tiny initials “C and D,” for Charles and Diana, were painted onto the shoe's arches. That’s rather sweet.
The longest train in royal wedding history
Diana wanted to make quite the impression on her big day, as she stepped out with the longest train in royal wedding history. It measured 25 feet and was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. Here, some of Diana’s five bridesmaids grapple with the lengthy accessory as the bride prepares to make her entrance into St. Paul’s Cathedral. The breathtaking train looked right at home in a cathedral, but that didn't mean it was easy for Diana or her bridesmaids to carry: some speculate that the entire gown weighed upwards of 20 pounds.
