The wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, famously dubbed the “wedding of the century,” took place on Wednesday, July 29, 1981, at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Billed as a true “fairytale,” the ceremony was a traditional Church of England service presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie. A global audience of an estimated 750 million people tuned in to watch the televised event across 74 countries, while roughly 600,000 spectators lined the streets of London to catch a glimpse of the royal procession.
Lady Diana arrived at the cathedral in the Glass Coach, wearing an iconic ivory silk taffeta gown designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel. The dress featured a record-breaking 25-foot train, hand-embroidered with 10,000 pearls and sequins, and was paired with the Spencer family heirloom tiara. During the exchange of vows, Diana made history by becoming the first royal bride to omit the word “obey,” though nerves led both the bride and groom to make slight verbal slips during the ceremony.
Following the service, the couple returned to Buckingham Palace for a wedding breakfast with 120 guests. They appeared on the palace balcony at 1:10 PM BST, where they shared a public kiss that delighted the massive crowds and established a lasting royal tradition. The day concluded with nationwide celebrations, including street parties and fireworks, marking a historic peak in the popularity of the British monarchy.
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