War of the Waleses
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The War of the Waleses was a term coined by the British and International media to describe the collapsing marriage of the then-Prince and Princess of Wales. The term comes from the Wars of the Roses, which was the power struggle between the House of York and House of Lancaster for control of the English Throne. The "War of the Waleses" began in the late 1980s when it became public knowledge that their marriage was on the rocks. The so-called War of the Waleses culminated in 1992 with the formal separation of the Prince and Princess of Wales, announced to Parliament by Prime Minister John Major.
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[edit] Background
On 29 July 1981, The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer were married at St Paul's Cathedral before 3,500 invited guests and an estimated television audience of 750 million people around the world. The wedding was attended by most of the world's crowned heads and elected heads of state, as well as prominent figures from the British establishment and national life.
By marriage to the heir-apparent, Lady Diana Spencer received the title Princess of Wales and the style "Her Royal Highness". She was popularly known as "Princess Diana", although this form of address was technically incorrect. The couple made their homes at Highgrove in Gloucestershire and at Kensington Palace in West London. Almost immediately, the Princess of Wales became a star attraction, chased by the paparazzi, her every move (including every change in hairstyle) closely followed by millions.
However, the marriage soon became troubled. Critics of the Princess of Wales alleged that she was unstable and temperamental; instigating the dismissal and resignations of many of the Prince of Wales's longstanding staff members, falling out with numerous friends (including her parents, brother, The Duchess of York, Elton John and members of her own household staff who resigned after rows). The Prince of Wales, too, was blamed for the marital troubles. Within five years of the wedding, the fairytale Wales marriage was already on the brink of collapse. Ironically, the Prince and Princess of Wales were similar in some respects: Both had had troubled childhoods. Both took their public roles seriously and both devoted much of their time to charity work, becoming highly regarded for it. The Princess of Wales notably devoted much time to helping AIDS sufferers, while The Prince of Wales devoted much effort to his Prince's Charities.
[edit] Proxy War
By the end of 1989, Charles had resumed his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles while Diana had begun one or more affairs. Though sources are vague, at sometime in 1990 both parties were made aware that these affairs were known to the press. Although the Princess of Wales had complained for several years that she was the victim of intrusive press attention (including in 1991 suing the Daily Mirror over the publication of covert photographs of her in a leotard at a gym), it was regularly commented that Diana had become closely involved in placing stories in the press. In 1992 Andrew Morton wrote a sensational biography of the Princess of Wales that detailed her eating disorders, a struggle with depression and attempted suicide contributed to by Prince Charles' relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. At the time of publication, Morton stated that the material was sourced from friends close to Diana but he has since said that Diana was the main source. For a time, press support was split into Charles (The Mirror and the Telegraph) and Diana (The Sun and The Times) camps and was intensified by the public collapse of the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of York the following year. Following the publication by The Sun of taped phone conversations between the Princess of Wales and James Gilby in August 1993 (dating back to 1989), public sympathy swung behind Diana and the weight of press support with it. (See Squidgygate.) The published conversation was edited removing the more explicit sections. A few weeks later, The Mirror published a purported conversation between Charles and Camilla that included items that many readers found offensive. (See Camillagate.)
[edit] Result
Both the Prince and Princess subsequently made public admissions of extramarital affairs, he with Mrs Parker Bowles, she with an army officer, James Hewitt. Although they remained publicly a couple, they had effectively separated by the late 1980s, he living at Highgrove House, she at Kensington Palace. The media noted their increasing periods apart and their obvious discomfort at being in each other's presence. Evidence and recriminations of infidelity aired in the news media. By 1992, it was obvious that the marriage was over in all but name. The couple formally separated, with media sources taking different sides in what became known as the "War of the Waleses."
The marriage of The Prince and Princess of Wales formally ended in divorce on 28 August 1996. It had produced two sons, Prince William of Wales, and Prince Henry of Wales who is known by the name "Harry."
[edit] See also
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