Princess Diana and King Charles tied the knot in London 45 years ago, but the royal bride made a rather memorable slip-up during the vows as 75 million people watched
Princess Diana and King Charles were married in 1981(Image: Tim Graham, Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Princess Diana likely experienced the same cocktail of excitement and nerves as any bride on her wedding day, but the anxiety appeared to get the better of her as millions tuned in to watch the couple exchange their vows.
The beloved late royal and now-King Charles wed in London on July 29, 1981, less than a year before welcoming their first son together. In front of a global audience of royal fans, Diana appeared to flub her vows - mistakenly referring to her husband-to-be by his father's name. According to the BBC, Diana called Charles by the name Philip - which is actually one of his middle names.
The King's full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, meaning Diana inadvertently swapped his first and middle names. Diana called her husband-to-be "Philip Charles" rather than "Charles Philip." This comes as Princess Diana's brother revealed her feelings about Donald Trump.
Charles was also noted to have stumbled over his own vows, saying "thy goods" instead of "my worldly goods," reports the Express. The couple exchanged vows at St Paul's Cathedral before 3,500 guests, with more than 600,000 well-wishers lining the streets outside. Following their memorable ceremony, the newlyweds embarked on a cruise through the Mediterranean and Egypt for their honeymoon.
Both Princess Diana and King Charles made mistakes during their vows(Image: Fox Photos, Getty Images)
The couple announced their separation in 1992, just months after Diana was photographed alone at the Taj Mahal in India. In addition to welcoming Prince William in 1982, Diana also gave birth to their second son, Prince Harry, in 1984. The pair formally ended their marriage in August 1996, with the King later tying the knot with the now-Queen Camilla in 2005.
After her divorce from King Charles, Diana transitioned into a highly independent, philanthropic, and globally iconic chapter of her life. Free from the strict protocols of the British Royal Family, she established herself as a powerful humanitarian force.
Her post-royal life, which lasted only a year before her tragic death on August 31, 1997, was marked by intense media scrutiny, new romantic relationships, and a redefined public role.
Princess Diana in 1996(Image: Getty Images)
Following the split's finalization, the mother-of-two lost her HRH title, simply becoming known as Diana, Princess of Wales. However, she was still considered a member of the royal family because of her sons. She reportedly received £17 million ($22.7 million) in the divorce and was allowed to live at Kensington Palace until her death.
As a single woman, she auctioned 79 of her most iconic royal dresses, raising £3.5 million ($4.5 million) for cancer and AIDS charities. The beloved royal also expanded her advocacy for homelessness, leprosy, and HIV/AIDS awareness, using her global platform to break stigmas.
Despite their divorce, it was claimed that Diana and Charles had an amicable co-parenting relationship until her death nearly 30 years ago.
