And while the royal couple ultimately announced their split in 1992 – and divorced in 1996 – apparently the people’s princess wasn’t completely sold on a separation.
Royal expert Jenny Bond, who previously reported on the royals for the BBC, revealed Princess Di was hoping to keep up appearances.
According to Bond, Diana was eyeing off a “separated partnership”, which means they would live separate lives but at public engagements, they would put on a united front.
“Diana was pretty unsettled with the divorce, she didn’t want the divorce, she told me, ‘It’s not something I want,’” Bond spilled in UK documentary Princess Diana, In Her Own Words.
Bond added that one of the main reasons Diana was hoping to pursue the arrangement was for the sake of the royal couple’s young sons, William and Harry.
“I think she felt somehow they could continue as separated but partners and parents to the two boys, and she really did try to make it work and she wanted to make it work,” Bond explained.
Diana’s marriage to the heir to the throne spectacularly fell apart after years of scandals – including Charles’ affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles.
But a recent interview revealed that Diana’s problems with men started well before her regal wedding to Queen Elizabeth’s eldest son.
Royals author Walter Oleksy previously told New Idea that Diana’s problems with men began when she was a child.
“Her father didn’t love her (he’d wanted a boy), the prince didn’t love her, and she had affairs with [numerous] men, looking for the right man. Some of them gave her love, but most took advantage of her,” Walter claimed.
While their marriage in 1981 was arguably doomed from the start, Walter alleged that Charles “only married [Diana] to have children”.
When she failed to produce a daughter as their second heir, Charles made his disappointment clear.
“He didn’t want Harry, he wanted a girl, because he was afraid [two boys] would fight over [being] king,” he said.