I'm a year younger than Diana and I remember being shocked at everybody saying how perfect this marriage choice was. I was 18 at the time of the engagement and thought that Charles 1) was not physically attractive 2) was acting like a middle aged man. 3) was too plodding, slow, and dull

Now I'm older and of course, I cherish those unattractive dull middle aged men ;) but Charles the man was not the type to set teenage hearts racing. Its no disrespect towards Charles but I still don't know what she saw in him at that age and time. When I visited England around William's birth, I met a couple of English working class guys and told them I wouldn't have married Charles if I had been Diana. One of them asked, "Oh wouldn't you want to be Queen of England?" That seemed to pretty much sum it up.

Diana's father said in an interview right around the wedding that when Charles asked him if he could marry Diana, "I wonder what he would have done if I had said no?". He should have said no.

Of everything that happened during the marriage still the biggest thing that shocked me was how in the beginning everyone said how great this would be. This was before anyone knew of Camilla and I still didn't see how it could work out.

Maybe Diana saw stability in an older, more mature man. I don't think being Queen of Great Britain and N. Ireland was her main goal. I think that she was pushed and prodded coupled with her crush on Charles.

Personally, I like older men. I would not be surprised if in a couple years I don't end up with someone in their thirties or even their forties, maybe not the best idea for some lol but I digress. ;)

Marriages have worked with age gaps larger than theirs, there's nothing wrong with a twelve year gap really, although it is a little weird when one of them is 19. But hey, it can happen. But--they had nothing in common! Not interests, not tastes, not hobbies, not mentally, not personality-wise..... the list goes on. How either of them thought it could work I'll never know. Especially when a certain one of them "knew" about the other woman lurking around and was oh so miserable the entire time.

Who pushed them together?

I don't think it was just one person or group. The Royal Family was pushing it. The Spencers were pushing it. The aristocracy was pushing it. And let's not forget the British press who quite frankly saw Diana as fresh meat and couldn't wait to get their hands on her. Actually I think the press was the biggest force. They made it out to be this fairy tale perfect romance. It sold a lot of papers.

Let me rephrase something. If Charles had been an older dashing charismatic man who was normally attracted to much younger women, then I and my friends would have thought differently then. He generally didn't go for Diana's type and age even before the marriage so why would anybody think he would go for it after the wedding ceremony.

I was thinking that Reina's comment meant their courtship, their "relationship" in the first place was pushed into starting.

On another note, do you think they kissed before their engagement? They had hardly spent real and fulfilling amounts of time together before they married, especially alone. They never went on a real date, always out shooting, fishing or at stuffy dinners and balls. Not really alone you know? Charles is pretty stuffy and awkward, especially with women lol. And Diana by her own admission said she had never had a real boyfriend before, their courtship just seemed formal and detached. I can't imagine a real kiss taking place during that time! :o

And when I say real I don't mean a peck on the cheek!

According to some books I have read, they have told an anecdote about Diana and Charles just before the wedding. There was a terrible thunderstorm and Diana was overawed by the horrible sound and ran down the hallway to Prince Charles' bedroom. She climbed into bed with him and he put a protective arm around her but he did not attempt "to consummate the relationship." Diana lamented that Charles didn't even try, because it was like 2 weeks before the wedding. Charles had a beautiful woman climb into his bed and he did not try anything. Quite strange.

Must not have been a terribly passionate wedding night then huh? ;)

What books was this story in? I dont think I heard it before. The story doesn't surprise me though, I mean, look at him. Not really a Casanova lol.

Thanks for the pics Queen Mother, from Birgittes royal page?

Actually I scan them from my books. :)

Here is the link to my other scans. Hope you enjoy.
https://img225.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=playwills9ff.jpg

Okey! I enjoy.. :D I did like the pics of Charles runninng. And all they others, of course.

Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed them.

I will check through my books Alicky. By the way, It has been said on the wedding night that she giggled at him and found it all quite unromantic and a big letdown.

Tiaraprin, without going to check, I think it might have been in Andrew Morton's book.

I skimmed the Simmone Simmons book and it was a real thumbs down from Diana, according to the author.

If Charles had gone to all this trouble to marry a virgin, he might have wanted to see the project through! Also, what if Diana called the wedding off, only to find she was pregnant? What a mess that might have been.

But tell the other half of the story. Diana (feeling slighted?) tries to make Charles jealous, asking him to come and say goodnight, having arranged for the footman to be sitting on her bed when Charles comes in. In the morning, she tells the footman not to worry "It was good for him". Did someone say Diana was naive?

She said that? It does sound familiar. Interesting.... ;)

Discretion?
 

If she hadn't learnt it from her family, perhaps as part of her training the Palace should have given Diana lessons in discretion.
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I'm sure they did lol. Somewhere along the way someone must have mentioned that it was not royal practice to air their dirty laundry for interviews and in the tabloids. So much for that!