Did Princess Diana Know Prince Charles Was Still Seeing Camilla Parker Bowles When They Got Married?
When Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage crumbled she went on record and told the world that she knew her husband had carried on an extramarital affair with Camilla Parker Bowles for years. But many have wondered exactly when and how the princess learned they were still seeing each other.
Here’s more on the heartbreaking discovery Diana made which confirmed that and what she said happened the night she confronted her husband’s mistress.
When and how Diana found out Charles was cheating with Camilla
Diana didn’t rely on just a feeling that Charles and his former flame still had something going on, she found evidence that they were still seeing each other. According to the princess’ biographer, Andrew Morton, she uncovered that evidence just weeks before her wedding.
“Someone in his office told me that my husband has had a bracelet made for her,” Diana revealed on her audiotapes. “I walked into this man’s office one day and I said, ‘Ooh, what’s in that parcel?’ And he said ‘Oh, you shouldn’t look at that’. So I opened it and there was the bracelet … I was devastated, and I said ‘Well, he’s going to give it to her tonight.”
The bracelet, which Camilla wore often after Diana and the prince got married, was engraved with the letters “G” and “F.” Those initials stood for “Gladys” and “Fred” — the nicknames Charles and Camilla had given one another.
Diana said the reason she stayed after that is because she was “immature.”
Princess Diana Confronted Camilla about the affair at a party
After knowing what she had for so long, Diana finally decided to confront Camilla about the affair.
In 1989, Diana showed up at Camilla’s sister’s birthday party unannounced. It was there she hoped to get Camilla alone and speak to her about everything face to face. On the audiotapes she recorded for Morton, Diana recounted exactly what happened that evening.
The princess said she interrupted a conversation between Camilla, Charles, and another man and asked to speak to Camilla privately. According to Diana, Camilla looked “really uncomfortable and put her head down.” Diana recalled telling her, “I know what’s going on between you and Charles and I just want you to know that.”
Diana then revealed that Camilla said to her, “You’ve got everything you ever wanted. You’ve got all the men in the world to fall in love with you and you’ve got two beautiful children, what more do you want?’”
“I want my husband,” the princess fired back, before adding, “‘I’m sorry I’m in the way … and it must be hell for both of you. But I do know what’s going on. Don’t treat me like an idiot.’”
The Prince and Princess of Wales separated three years later and divorced in 1996. Diana died from her injuries sustained in a car crash the following year. On April 9, 2005, Charles married Camilla.
Read more: How Princess Diana Referred to Camilla Parker Bowles In Front of Prince William and Prince Harry
