Princess Diana and King Charles’ wedding was one of the most dramatic and enthralling weddings ever, but the fairy tale was reportedly falling apart before the cake was even cut. According to reports, King Charles III sobbed the night before his 1981 wedding to Princess Diana—not because of happiness, but rather because he was still deeply in love with Camilla, his ex-girlfriend and current wife.
But he wasn’t the only one in tears. “They both cried,” royal analyst Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital, adding that Diana also shed tears the night before her wedding because she was heartbroken.
“Diana was hesitant to wed Charles, but her sister informed her that it was too late. They were already selling the tea towels featuring their joint photos. In order to incorporate Camilla, Charles was given cufflinks with her symbol, which he wore on his wedding day, reportedly causing him to become emotional,” Turner continued.
Charles’ long-standing love for Camilla is a historical record and has never been the subject of royal rumors. However, the most recent round of remarks highlights how hesitant he was to wed Diana in the first place. People magazine and historian Sally Bedell Smith claim that Charles, who was conflicted between his royal duty and personal love, sobbed in private the night before the wedding.
A “suitable” woman—young, virginal, and descended from aristocrats—had to be married. Divorced and considered “unsuitable” by the Church of England and the monarchy, Camilla was not an option.
King Charles had a monarchy’s asset in Diana but he treated her like an enemy. It was never about the monarchy, it’s about his infatuation with Camilla. This tour highlights how much Diana, Prince Harry and #MeghanMarkle are needed but he threw them away #GoodKingHarry #NotMyKing pic.twitter.com/qFrJJYgv6h
— Carmella (@Sussex5525) October 23, 2024
Charles nevertheless found a way to keep her close to his heart: according to some reports, he wore cufflinks engraved with Camilla’s emblem on the wedding day, which may be interpreted as a silent statement of despair or defiance.
Charles felt pressured into marriage by Prince Philip and other senior royals who wanted him to fulfill his role, royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News. Patricia Mountbatten, his godmother, allegedly cautioned him against marrying Diana because she knew he was romantically involved with Camilla.
A few times Diana wanted to call off the wedding but felt the pressure of expectations & being in too deep. Tbh I feel her family also let her down. She said of the night before the wedding “I felt I was a lamb to the slaughter. I knew it and I couldn’t do anything about it.” pic.twitter.com/rYPknSExOg
— Zandi Sussex (@ZandiSussex) July 30, 2025
Tensions lingered even during the honeymoon. Diana’s discovery of a bracelet Charles had ordered for Camilla added to her distress and concerns. Significant age gaps, conflicting hobbies, and Diana’s developing mental health issues, such as bulimia, all contributed to the emotional distance.
“From the start, the public preferred the princess, though privately she was angst-ridden and bulimic,” royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News. One scathing statement from Diana’s notorious 1995 BBC interview encapsulated the tragedy: “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
