EXCLUSIVE: As the-then Prince Charles announced his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer 43 years ago, an expert examines how their union served as a warning for Prince William and Kate
It would go down in history as one of the most famous royal interviews of all time… for all the wrong reasons. When the future King Charles announced his engagement to Lady Diana Spencer 43 years ago on 24 February 1981, the public hung on to every word as he uttered the immortal phrase “whatever ‘in love’ means” when told they looked “very much in love” during a joint interview.
“The contrast in these two marriages starts right at the beginning,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells OK! “Charles was the 32 year old heir to the throne who needed a wife. The pressure on him from the media and public was intense. Diana Spencer was 19, innocent and hugely flattered by the flirtatious attention of a prince.
The long run-up that allowed Kate, 42, to see what would be involved in marrying into the Royal Family was instrumental to her success. As well as this, Jennie points out that the way William, 41, gently introduced his wife into the royal fold before stepping back to let her shine should be applauded.
Reflecting on her candid conversations with the late princess and how the family have learnt from past mistakes, Jennie muses, “I remember how Diana told me how lost she was during those first engagements. “Kate has had a great deal of encouragement, praise, guidance and support from her husband, and from her father-in-law, which has helped her grow into the confident and popular princess she is today.”
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