Called the "wedding of the century," the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer to Charles, Prince of Wales, took place on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul's Cathedral. Diana was 20 years old, Charles 32 years old.
Diana and Charles had been seeing each other for about six months when he proposed on February 3, 1981 at a dinner for two at Buckingham Palace. He knew she planned a vacation for the next week, and hoped she'd use the time to consider her answer.
The service was a traditional Church of England wedding service.
There were 3,500 people in the congregation at St. Paul's Cathedral. Another 750 million people watched the ceremony worldwide; this figure rose to a billion when the radio audience is added in. Two million spectators lined the route of Diana's procession from Clarence House, with 4,000 police and 2,200 military officers to manage the crowds.
Diana arrived at St. Paul's Cathedral in a glass coach, escorted by five mounted military police officers. The carriage was too small to comfortably hold Diana's father and Diana in her dress and train.
Diana's wedding dress was a puff ball meringue wedding dress, with huge puffed sleeves and a frilly neckline. The dress was made of silk taffeta, decorated with lace, hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls. It was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, and had a 25-foot train.
Charles wore his full dress naval commander uniform.
Dianna made the three-and-a-half minute walk up the red-carpeted aisle
Appearing on a balcony, Diana and Charles pleased the crowd by kissing. . A "just married" sign attached to the landau by Princes Andrew and Edward raised smiles as the married couple were driven over Westminster Bridge to get the train to Romsey in Hampshire to begin their honeymoon
Diana was the first British citizen to marry an heir to the British throne in 300 years. Crowds of 600,000 people filled the streets of London to catch a glimpse of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer on their wedding day.
The bride's nerves showed briefly when she mixed up the Prince's names - calling him Philip Charles Arthur George, rather than Charles Philip. Charles slightly muddled his vows too, referring to "thy goods" rather than "my worldly goods".
After a brief private signing ceremony the Prince and Princess of Wales walked back down the aisle to the refrain of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance.
Afterwards Charles and Diana retired from the public gaze to enjoy toasts and a wedding breakfast with 120 family guests at Buckingham palace.
