In 1981, Princess Diana became a global sensation when she married Prince Charles, but the fairytale hid a painful truth. While the world watched a shy young nursery assistant become Princess of Wales, Diana was already facing emotional turmoil behind closed doors.
One emotional moment came when Diana tearfully farewelled Charles at Heathrow before his five-week tour. The world believed she cried because she was sad he was leaving — but years later, Diana revealed the real reason.
In recordings released in Diana: In Her Own Words, she said her tears were caused by the discovery of Charles’s ongoing relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. Just before the trip, Camilla phoned Charles, and Diana learned about a bracelet he had made for Camilla — a heartbreaking sign of their secret bond.
Diana admitted she even told her sisters she wanted to call off the wedding, but was told it was too late. The marriage continued despite infidelity, emotional struggles, and public pressure, ending in divorce in 1996.
Diana famously summarized the pain of her marriage:
“There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
She tragically died in August 1997, but the photos from that tearful day at Heathrow now carry a much deeper meaning than anyone knew at the time.