PARIS: Their fairy-tale marriage 40 years ago this month was dubbed the “wedding of the century”.
But for Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer it would all end in tears, recriminations and tragedy, with the after-effects still being felt by the British royals today.
Presidents and prime ministers as well as the crowned heads of Europe and beyond streamed into St Paul’s Cathedral in London on July 29, 1981 for the ceremony, which was watched on television by 750 million people around the world.
Here is an account of the wedding based on AFP reporting of the time.
Love and fanfare
The marriage of Charles, a bachelor of 32, and his…
