Diana married the future King Charles III in July 1981 at St Paul’s Cathedral before a global television audience. She was 20, while Charles was 32.
Their sons, Prince William, now 44, and Prince Harry, now 42, were born in 1982 and 1984 respectively, but behind the public image of royal domesticity, the marriage became increasingly unhappy.
Charles maintained a close relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Camilla, 79, whom he had known before marrying Diana.
Both Charles and Diana subsequently acknowledged adultery during their marriage. Their difficulties became increasingly public during the early 1990s.
The pair formally separated in December 1992, with the then-prime minister of the UK, John Major, announcing the decision in the House of Commons.
Diana subsequently spoke openly about the collapse of the relationship during her explosive 1995 interview with BBC Panorama.
Referring to Charles’ relationship with Camilla, she famously said: “Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”